1941-02-18 — Page 3

THE STORY OF THE H.K. DERBY ROOTY-HILL First Race Goes Back To 1873 DIFFERENCE DERBY Grand Duke Alexis PROSPECTS Witnesses Colony's

Latest Innovation

"THERE ARE THREE GOOD PONIES FOR THE ROOTY-HILL DERBY," ΤΟ BE RUN TO- MORROW, SAID MR. ERIC MOL- LER IN AN INTERVIEW THIS MORNING, "AND1 THINK THE RESULT WILL REST BETWEEN A HAPPY TIME, DISTANT VIEW AND FLEETWING."

MA Moller said that although he did not get down from Shang- hai as curly as he had intendedi for Race Week, he felt that fronti what he saw of the new Austra- lian ponies they were # better class of pony than any of previous lots imported into Colony.

the the

of

Speaking of the smallness the local track, Mr. Moller said

the

By PAUL GREGORY

NO RACING EVENT IN THE FAR EAST IS MORE POPULAR THAN THE HONG KONG DERBY, TO BE RUN-TO-DAY AT 3 P.M., AND LIKE ITS GREAT ENGLISH FORERUNNER (INSTITUTED BY THE EARL OF DER- BY IN 1780), THIS CLASSIC IS REGARDED AS THE MOST GLORIOUS EPISODE OF THE YEAR'S RACING.

gratulate

p.m. His

-OF 12 LB.

"

Liberty Bay's record „for 14 miles, established in the Challenge Cup event in 1933, was broken yesterday in the tame rade and on a fairly heavy track by O-Lan, by no less than 6-3/5 secs.

There is, however, a slight- ly different story to tell re- garding conditions for these two weight for Inches faces. In 1933 the 14.1 Liberty Bay had to carry 161 lb. ** against the 14.0 O- Lan's 149 lb. yesterday.

day of the closing entries, with $100 added for first Pony, and $50 for second. For all China Ponies, bona fide Griffins at date of. En- Pony, 70 per cent.; Second, 20 per try. Weight, 10 stone, 7 lbs.; First cent. Third, 10 per cent. Distance

114 miles."'

:

Twenty ponies were entered.

They were: Spotted Dog, Char- ters,

Surprise, Blue Light, Foumart, Monyandi, Chui-Pat-To, Mystery, Banker, Broker, Cable- gram.

Shroff, Royalist, Schlimm, Acrobat, Rococo, The Admiral, Blarney, Musscarino, Cakes and Ale,

The

As might be expected, the resemblance between the two races is most marked, but whereas the Eng-un the event stated, at the "The China Mail," in its descrip- fish Derby is held in late May or early June, Hong arrangements were most perfect, that it was because of this, and Kong's event is always run in February. Both, how and we are glad to be able to con- the consequent sharpness in

ever, are contested for on the second day of annual judicious way they carried out the the police upon the bends, that so many ponies were apt to bure out, and in this con-

meetings, and Derby Day, no matter whether it is necessary regulations

for keep- nection he remarked that jockeys

observed at home or in Hong Kong is one of the

ing the crowds in fair order." should "pull m" a

little when coming into the home stretch.

days of the year.

Shortly before 1.30 At this point Mr. Moller cited!

Excellency, the Governor, with his the fine way Mr. Holden handled!

As Hong Kong in its legislation follows that of in the official coach, accompanied lady and Miss Kennedy, arrived A Happy Time in the Austral

the Home Government, it was inevitable that supplendent guard of mounted horse- Valley Stakes as an example, and

by his aide-de-camp, and a res- added that the eorrect

porters of Hong Kong Jockey Club should decide men drawn pressure applied at this vital stage or that a Derby Day, with all the thrills of the Home forces: any race must make all the dif- ference in the world

turf, must be included among the fixtures at the to the ultimate result.

Annual Race Meeting. They thought longingly of Epsom Downs, pulsating with its heterogeneous crowds, and, as comparatively few local residents. could ever hope to attend the English Derby in per-drew up before the grand-stand. effected, the son, there was born a desire to introduce it to the opinion that in his Velvetlight Colony.

The Champions

Speaking of

the

Champions,

Mr. Moller said that there were all the old ponies to contend with.

Burford, such

O-Lan and Confusion Bay, but ventured

should win the Derby mako the Champions."

The

"it will

Sixty-six years of age, Mr. Mol- ler still maintains the keenest in- terest in an active way. He takes part in the morning training gal- Jops in Shanghai and plays # great deal of tennis and golf.

"I miss the old faces at the Race Course here," he said, "peo- ple like Sir Paul Chater, George Potts and Sir Ellis Kadoorie. 1 am the only old fellow' left, but I still feel young, and that is a great thing

Governor, H. E. Sir Arthur E.

from the military

With the Governor and his party was a Royal visitor, H.J.H. the Grand Duke Alexis of the House of Romanoff.

As the gubernatorial carriage

the soldiers and sailors present

Press Description

Eleven

in- started, but they cluded some of the fleetest China ponies of the day, and the race was succinctly described by the Press in the following terms:

.

A capital start was broke into prolonged cheers, to took place during the first round,

whole field getting. well away together. Little change be almost immediately swelled by though Cakes and Ale looked at the gleeful shouts of thousands in the crowd.

one time dangerous. On reaching The sounds of their voices echoed and

the Black

Rock on the second re-echoed through the Valley, drowning the round, Surprise began to show to. cellent drawing card, bringing giment which was playing the Bri-yalist, and Spotted Dog. The lat

strains of the band of the 80th

the front, closely pressed by Ro spectators from ports as far dis-ish and tant as Shanghai, Yokohama, and Manda,

I do not know who was the bers of the Jockey Club, who leading spirit of the movement, rightly anticipated that the race but it is probable that the then in future years would be an ex-

Kennedy, who himself was

an ardent race-goer, did much to see that such a renowned turf event should be

among the crowning attractions of the race meeting of February, 1873.

Naturally the introduction of the Derby With 20 source of the greatest satisfaction to the mem-

TO-DAY'S RESULTS

(Continued from Page 2.)

BETTING FIGURES

BETTING FIGURES

Win Place

National Blessings

Win Place (Tao, 152)

89

86

Trade

Wind (Tao,

151) Starlight View (Pih,

131

The Hawk (Davis, 123 152)

74

90

Ophir (Sung, 154)

25

07

149)

96

116 Sports Lady (Wood,

Leading Star (Tre-

149)

16

24

verton, 152)

68

89 | Seventy - Six (Ho

Baggage Master

Hong Fing, 152) ... - 14

17

(Chang, 152)

84

77

Gold Rod (Liang,

11.-AMOY

152)

32

49 Furlongs.

High Hat (Pay,

-149.)

31

Vigor (Sung, 152)

20

25

Boneshaker (Chiu Ki

Fan, 147)

18

23

Macy (Hoo, 144)

10

24

52 Eve's Eve of Poace, 155 lb...

(R. M. Wood) Kong Bros.'s Lovely Star, 159

lb.

(K. W. Fung)

-1

Angel .of Peace

(Chiu, .144)

1

10

14

a Quarter Mites.

93 84

10-LUSITANO CUP,One and

C. C. F.'s Santa-Anita, 153 lb. (S. C. Liang)

Ib.

Dynasty's King's Flight, 152 (V. V. Needa)

L. W. S.'s Corsair, 150 lb.

(P. P. Botelho)

No Regrets

reasons for

thems.

Russian

National

Almost Same Rules

an-

ter changed places just before coming to the straight, and Mon- yandi drew out of the ruck in a very game manner. From this point Surprise led, with Spotted The promoters

Dog, Royalist, and Monyandi in of the Colony's THE starting bell clanged, and the order named. The winner was first Derby had THU

the electrified crowds follow- loudly cheered, and hearty con- regretting their ardour. The evented excitedly the course of the gratulations were showered upoh was a greater success than they contests for the Wong-nei-chong his owner." had ever expected. Hong Kong Stakes and the Ashley Cup. And The results were: residents had

1, Surprise; apparently circled | then came the long-expected 2, Spotted Dog: the date (Thursday, February 20, Derby. The Europeans

3, Royalist, 1873) with red ink on their calen-scarried their

eagerly Monyandi. dars, and, although the Derby was read avidly the basic rules, which Derby Day back in the seventies. programmes, and Such, was the Colony's original scheduled as the third race of the remain much the same as those in Nowadays the event is deservedly day, the road to Happy Valley was vogue to this day for this parti- more popular than ever, and the carly the scene of bustling cular racing event.

competition activity, commencing a little after

for the honour of- sunrise.

winning the Blue Riband is even. "The Hong Kong Derby, keener to-day than it was on that Sweepstakes of $20 each, half for- day in 1873 on which the first feit if declared on or before the local Derby was run.

Cosmopolitan crowds on foot, on horse-back, or in car- rlages were in motion, pro- ceeding towards the race- course as if it were the Pro- mised Land,

Long before noon, the Happy Valley area was packed with thousands of eager spectators, thrilled with anticipation of the HANDICAP. Six great event of which they had all heard, but few had as yet witnessed. Perched on the hill- sides overlooking the Valley were vast numbers of Chinese. Their black.senshaw garments, and huge umbrellas made them look from 2a distance like elvas scated amid a forest of gigantic toadstools,

W. T. Stanton's Royal Wed-

ding Eve, 168 lb.

(L. J. A. Fielden 3

13 starters. Won by 6 lengths; many lengths.

Parl-mutual, winner $11.80; 1 places, 1st $8.50; 2nd $11.40; 3nd

$8.90.

Place

2

BETTING FIGURES Win

3 Eve of Peace (Wood,

.155)

1555 1134

717

11 starters, Won by 3 lengths; Royal Wedding Eve 2 lengths. Time: 2:30.2,

(Fielden, 168) Pari-mutuel: Winner $19.40; Portrush (Lee, 145).. 387 places, 1st $7.40; 2nd $11.00; 3rd Eve of Hunting -$9.80.

BETTING FIGURES

(Haymns, 169) Lovely Star (Fung,

315

Santa-Anita

158)

(Liang,

Sydney Diamond

(Chang, 152) Sydney Lady

(Hearne, 152)

680

159) Valorgus (Hoo Pak Win Place Ming, 145)

Sylvandale (Cooper, 959 994 (158)

923

-766

291

287

Corsair (Botelho,

150)

· 240 Sunlight View (Chiu

Ki Fan, 152) Bressay (Chattey, 162) 84 484 Jack O'Lantern (Bar-

raw, 148). MANUS

160

77

83

641

Seal River (Black,

149)

King's Flight (Nee-

da, 153)

*

486 Salvage Master (Ho

Hong Ping, 145)

422475 Wilber (Chiu, 140)

The Tigress

407.

399 135)

(Chan,

Dense Mass

The inner ring, of the race- course was packed with a denser mass of humanity than usual, which at times surged on to the track-itself, requiring all the vigil- lance of the police of the day to keep it clear, and restrain the ex- cited crowd from being mauled beneath the pounding hooves of racing ponies. But, fortunately, as

OOLONG TIPPED BY MR.MOLLER

Mr. Eric Moller, owner of Love lylight and Velvetlight, both placed

87 in the Blue Riband of the local Turf this afternoon, predicted his own defeat in an interview this morning..

41/

"Oolong Bald Mr. Moller,

49 "should win. It is a black pony

and it is anotorious fact 32 black ponies.

that

track,

HAVE AN H.B..

And Then Try!