A CHRONICLE OF THE DERBY. 343 



favourite. There were 256 subscribers, thirt}' of which 

 came to the post. The net value of the stakes 

 amouiited to £7,000. A volume of the stories circu- 

 lated might easily be collected about 'Hermit's 

 Derby ' ; many of them, however, were not founded 

 on fact, while the best of them have been so often 

 told that they will not bear repetition. About the 

 jockey's fee for riding Hermit absurd tales were 

 related; as a matter of fact, he was promised £3,000 

 if he won the race, and he got the money. A racing 

 paper of the day stated that Mr. Chaplin won £141,000 

 in bets by the success of his horse, Avhich has since 

 earned a fortune for his owner at the stud. The 

 horse was purchased from Mr. Blenkiron for a thou- 

 sand guineas ! The Duke of Hamilton, who had laid 

 £180,000 to £6,000 against Hermit for the Derby, 

 must have rejoiced at his good fortune in getting the 

 bet declared ' off' long before the day of the race. 



For the Oaks this was Hippia's year, ridden by 

 J. Daley. She brought home the * Garter ' to Baron 

 Rothschild, winning the race in clever fashion by 

 a length. Colonel Pearson and Mr. J. Osborne ran a 

 dead heat for second honours with Achievement and 

 Romping Girl. The winner started at 12 to 1, 3 to 1 

 being laid on Achievement, who was made favourite. 

 206 subscribers, eight runners. 



The eighty- ninth Derby was won by Sir Joseph 



Hawley, his horse, Blue Gown, ridden by Wells, being 



1863. declared the victor. Green Sleeve and 



Blue Gown. Rosicrucian being also started by Sir 



Joseph. Lady Elizabeth was made favourite, odds 



