^\\^ vv -W^M \^ University of Pennsylvania Annenberg Rare Book and Manuscript Library LIBRARY OF LEONARD PEARSON VETERINARIAN o 1 Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2009 witii funding from Lyrasis IVIembers and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/blueribbonoftuOObert — — — — — — A BOOK FOR ALL HORSE-LOVERS. Crown 8vo. , cloth extra, 6s. THE JHOI^SE /fJ^D jHIS f^lDER.. By 'THORMANBY.' "' Thormanby " has produced a work that will be welcome not only to the sportsman, but to that far larger class, the general reader also. There is a freshness and a vigour of style, a wealth of anecdote, both new and old, a clear conception of the points of usefulness which it is intended to bring out, and a charm in the whole arrangement. It is really an anecdotal history of the horse and its achievements, inclining rather to the sporting side, it is true, but still complete enough to make the work a standard one Facts either of history or of character are fixed in the mind by means of pertinent anecdote, and it is characteristic of the work that in every case the anecdotes have been selected in order to convey such a lesson, and not merely for the purpose of telling a good story On the whole, it may be said of the work that every page is pleasant reading ; and when the work is finished, it will be laid down with a feeling of regret that there is not more of it.' T/w Times. " ' " Thormanby's workmanship has been admirable. The lover of horse-flesh will not find a single dull page in his book Nearly all "Thormanby's" good things are amusing.' Manchester Guardian. 'Exceedingly pleasant reading for even an outsider, and especially attractive to all who take an interest in the " noble animal." .... We have read the book from end to end with pleasure It is a well-compiled, modest, and amusing little book, which is well worth a niche in any sportsman's library.' Pall Mall Gazette. ' The variety of the selection, and the spirit with which most of the stories are told, make the book a fund of hearty amusement for all who have a liking for the turf.' ScotsDiaii. ' " Thormanby'' has placed us, and all who love the stable, in his debt by a publication which deals out information plentifully, the while delighting us with a supply of anecdotes spirited and sustained ; altogether a racy effort. Something good is to be found in each chapter, and knowledge is everywhere handy.' Piccadilly. ' A wide acquaintance with the literature of the horse, and a good eye for an effective story, have enabled " Thormanby " to make a very effective collection of stories A succession of pleasant narratives, readable in every page.' ] 'orksliire Post. ' " Thormanby's " well-compiled volume will furnish an hour's agreeable reading, and even those who are versed in tales of the turf will no doubt be pleased lo refresh their memories with some of the old stories which are here re-told.' Glasgotii Herald. ' The stories which the author has collected are most of them exceedingly good, and will be interesting even to people who are absolutely indifferent to the seduc- tions of the turf. .... A pleasant and very readable book.' Scottish Leader. LONDON : CHATTO & WINDUS, PICCADILLY, \V. THE BLUE IIIP.BOX nV THE TrUF. THE BLUE RIBBON OF THE TURF A (JkronicU of tkc Race /o> the Derby, from the victory oj Dioiiied to that of Domr'an ; luith notes oh the roinnitii^ horses, the men who trained them, the jockeys who rode them, aiui the gentlemen to whom they belonged ; also notices of the betting and the betting men o/ the period; together with an account of the surroundings of the Race, atui brie/ accounts of tlie Oaks. HY LOUIS HENKV CURZON ^^^ ' l.iiKU Gt'iKi.K HtNTINCK : Voil do liol kilow wlial tilt; I )<;rl)y is.' ' Benjamin D'Iskaeli : Ves, I do ; it i» the blue ribbon of the turf.' % onUf OK CHATTO & WINDUS, PICCADILLY 1890 UN!Vk^;t«T7Y 1 ^5 PKEFACE. j^' When the hundredth anniversary of the Derby fell to be celebrated, I thought we might then see announced a history of the turfs most-coveted prize. But the centenary of the world-renowned race passed over without anyone having ventured to write a sketch of its history. That task has in the meantime been left to me : and has been a pleasant one, although materials for a chronicle of the earlier contests have proved scarce. < I have made several vain searches to procure a list ' ' kv of entries for the tirst Derby ; fortunately, however, the names of the riinnei's for what proved to be the beginning of a wonderful series of tine races have been preserved, and a competent authority has informed me ^ that the entries for the premier Derby were taken -N when the horses were ' two-year-olds,' and that the -->^ gentlemen promised to subscribe a^ain.*o* ^ a viii PREFACE. It would be interesting to obtain a list of tlie sub- scribers, and the names and pedigrees of the animals named for the race ; likewise, some information of the way in which the race was run and won. All I have gleaned is included in the following pages, so that the reader may speedily become as well informed on the subject as the writer. Could early commentators have foreseen the future magnitude of the race, and that in course of time it would become of international importance, the public, from the date of its institution, would doubtless have been placed in possession of some curious details regarding the Derby that cannot now be obtained, which would be read with avidity, not only by all who interest themselves in the affairs of the turf, but by the general reader as well. ' A countless number of Derby ' sketches have been written during the last lifty years, many of which are interesting; but I think I am correct in saying that this is the first history of the Derby which has taken the form of a ' book,' and the story of a book is some- times said to be of even greater interest than the book itself, could it be known. That is a saying which many will endorse, and so far as the present work PREFACE. ix is concerned, there can be no objection to its history being told : it is simple enough. The author longed to see the chief incidents of the race brought into focus, as well as some account of the horses running, and of their owners and jockeys ; also details of the betting, and the hundred and one occurrences which have taken place since Diomed * earned the first Blue Eibbon ' for Sir Charles Bun- — bury ' hence these presents.' The process of compiling this work has from begin- ning to end been a labour of love ; as a matter of fact, ' it has been dug ' out of old newspapers and sporting records of many kinds—calendars, magazines, and memoirs. By the time the J^erby begins to grow old, as will be gathered from a perusal of the following pages, each successive year presents some new feature, such as the timing of the race, the opening of a line of railway to Epsom, the inauguration of a Parliamentary debate about the event, and the first use of the tele- graph. Other years are marked by other incidents, such as the Running Rein fraud, the Gladiateur triumph, ' the Bend Or scare,' Fordham's first Derby victory, etc. Slight sketches of the pedigrees and X PREFACE. performances of the more celebrated horses which have won the race are also given, likewise brief memoirs and anecdotes of many of their owners, trainers, and riders. Information about bets and betting men, Derby dreams and omens, and money won on Epsom Heath, are included in the following pages, and the writer trusts that in recording what he knows he will not be accused of chronicling small-beer, his opinion being that all that can be said regarding our national racing holiday, and the event which has given it birth, is worth saying. In conclusion, all the author claims for this book is that, so far as it goes, it is a painstaking record of our chief Isthmian game. There are men, however, engaged on the sporting press of the period who could probably write a fuller and better history —only they have made no sign of doing so. Mayfair, Apra 2bth, 1890. - CONTENTS. A I'UELIMl.VAKV LANTKU - - . - . 1 ' FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF Till: KACE FOK THE ' HLUE KlBHoN 17 MEN UllO HAVE WON THE DERl'.Y 37 derby and other jockeys - . 63 jockeys who have won the deruy •J-l trainers of derby and other horses 97 'tattersall's' ...-.- 108 TOUTS AND TIl'STERS . 120 'the IKENCH YEAR,' 18(55- . - - - 142 'the AMERICAN YEAR,' 1881 . - . 154 BOOKMAKING ....-- 170 WHO SETS THE MARKET? - - - - - 184 DERHYANA ------- 214 A ellKONlCLE OF THE DERBY . - . 227 THE BLUE RIBBON OF THE TURF. A PRETJMINARY CANTER. The Derby, in name at least, is still the greatest racing event of the English turf; it is not, however, our oldest existing race, the St. Leger having been insti- tuted in the year 1770. The Oaks also takes prece- dence of the ' Blue Ribbon,' being a year older. It was in 1780 that the first Derby was run, the prize being won by Sir Charles Bunbury, the name of same gentle- the victorious horse being 1 )iomcd ; the man was so fortunate as to win again in the year 1801, with his mare Eleanor, which also won the Oaks, now sometimes fancifully designated ' the Garter of the Turf.' Much that has been written about the earlier races for the Derby is indebted chiefly to the imagina- tion of the writers, facts being scarce.