THE CLASSIC RACES. 139 



but no increased allowance is to be given to 

 the animal which comes in second ; the third 

 horse, however, will now get ^200 instead of 

 ^150. The "proprietors of the race" will 

 probably never require to afflict their souls by- 

 putting their hands in their pockets, but to change 

 the old time condition at all must have sadly 

 disturbed their serenity. But that which is 

 demanded of the Epsom magnates is not what 

 has so tardily been given. Owners of race- 

 horses would most assuredly have logic on their 

 side if they were to say to the powers that reign 

 over Epsom heath, " You must do as much 

 for us as we do for you." The case may be 

 put in a nutshell in this way, namely, that the 

 two great races run there — Oaks and Derby — 

 bring to the Grand Stand exchequer a sum of 

 at least ^20,000, not one penny of which could 

 be otherwise pocketed. Say that ^5,000 will 

 be required to defray expenses, and let a similar 

 sum be allocated for division among the share- 

 holders, and there would still remain ^10,000 

 for division among those chivalrous sportsmen 

 who enter their horses, and to these men might 

 well be left the task of organising the division. 

 The most curious feature of Derby history 

 is undoubtedly how the race came to be the 

 property of any person or body of persons. It 

 was named after the Earl of Derby when it 

 was instituted in 1780, but, as has been mentioned, 

 a long time elapsed before the afterwards great 

 Epsom event became the popular meeting which 

 it now is. Not till 1831 did the entry in any 

 year exceed one hundred horses ; so that up to 

 that date, if all the subscribers paid their money, 



