CHAPTERS FROM TURF HISTORY 



for orders, not knowing what to do with his lame 

 charge. The old lord merely growled, " Run, I 

 always run " : and so Phosphorus the next day, 

 heavily bandaged, was duly saddled for the race. 

 At twenty minutes to three the Derby field assem- 

 bled. Rat-trap was a hot favourite at 6 to 4. 

 Lord Stradbroke's Caravan, and Mango, who sub- 

 sequently won the St. Leger for Mr. Greville, 

 Clerk of the Privy Council, were next in demand. 

 The price of Phosphorus was 40 to i. After two 

 false starts the field was dispatched on level terms, 

 and a very fast pace was set by Pocket Hercules 

 till the famous corner was reached, when he and 

 a good many others were beaten. Rounding the 

 corner. Caravan, well ridden by Pavis, led Phos- 

 phorus by a length until the distance. Then 

 Phosphorus on the lower ground drew level and 

 a desperate struggle ensued. They ran locked 

 together until some twenty yards from the winning- 

 post, when George Edwards, with fine horseman- 

 ship, drove the hardridden Phosphorus to win by 

 a bare half-length. The third horse was many 

 lengths away. Phosphorus never ran again in 

 England, and his eccentric owner dying in the 

 following year, his horses were sold at the First 

 Spring Meeting at Newmarket. The Derby winner 

 was bought in for 910 guineas. Subsequently he 

 was sold to the Duke of Brunswick for 1,000 

 guineas and sent abroad. A futile attempt was 

 made to train him, but his lameness was too 

 deeply seated to be cured, and he was put to 

 the stud. 



It can be seen from this account of the Derby, 

 which is based on contemporary reports, how 



108 



