38 RECORDS OF OLD TIMES 



CHAPTER V 



Early recollections of the Derby — Lord Berners and Phosphorus in 

 1837 — Caravan and Lord Sufificld — My first Derby — Bloomsbury's 

 year, 1839 — My costume — Heavy snowstorm on Oakapple Day, 

 May 29 — Opening of the London and South-Western Railway 

 from Nine Elms — 'No more trains!' — Cab to Kingston — A 

 borrowed ride on a post-chaise — 'Whip behind 1 ' — A mad rush, 

 but in time to see the finish — Amato's victory — From Aylesbur)' to 

 Epsom on horseback in 1841 — Well-named Little ' Wonder' : won 

 with 40 to I against him — The Queen and Prince Albert present — 

 Running Rein — Daniel O'Rourke — My folly. 



Many writers have described their visits to Epsom 

 Downs on the day of the Derby, the race par 

 excellence of the sporting world. Some of my own 

 Derby Day adventures and experiences I am 

 tempted to recapitulate. I had from my schoolboy 

 days delighted in horse racing, and I remember in 

 very early life hearing of the ' dead heat ' for the 

 Derby between Cadland and The Colonel, which 

 ended in the run off, after an exciting race, in the 

 triumph of the former. That event was in 1828. 

 The competing jockeys were J. Robinson and 

 W. Scott. The field numbered fifteen, and one of 

 the lot fell — I forget which — his rider being seriously 

 injured. The Colonel and Cadland started nearly 

 equal favourites, the latter, as winner of the Two 

 Thousand, having a strong public following. It 

 beinfr determined that ' the decider ' should be run 



