The Show at Epsom Downs

It was the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's coronation, and the Queen celebrated by going to the races to root for her brown colt, Landau. Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill cut short a Cabinet meeting so that he and his ministers could join her. Like the British royal family, like Winnie, like England itself, the Derby at Epsom Downs is an old show that still seems always fresh and exciting.

Tic-Tac & Blower. Nearly half a million Britons traveled through the misty morning to be on hand. For all the royalty and high fashion, the day, as always, belonged to the cockney, the costermonger and the gypsy, swarming over the infield. Red-faced north-country farmers and pale London clerks elbowed up to canvas stalls to buy jellied eels and winkles. Touts sidled up to them, peddling inside dope. Said one oldster dressed like a jockey: "Blimey, I wish my kids were 'ere. 'Cos if they were, I could put my 'and on their 'eads and swear that this information of mine is the real goods. Now look, ladies and gents, I want you to come back after the race just 'cos I want to see your 'appy, smiling faces."

Half of England, according to a royal commission's report on gambling, got a bet down on the Derby. At the track, garishly garbed "TicTac" men waved semaphore signals to their bookies as reports on off-course betting came in over the "blower" (telephone). A Yorkshire colt named Rowston Manor and a French challenger, Ferriol, were joint favorites at 5 to 1. Few bothered with an American-bred chestnut colt named Never Say Die. He had won only once as a two-year-old, had run three times this year and never finished first. He went off at 33 to 1. His owner, a New York broker named Robert Sterling Clark, 77, had not even come over for the race.

Neurotic Horse? Far across the rolling infield 22 thoroughbreds nudged the starting tapes, and they were off. Uphill to the mile post, favored Rowston Manor began to outpace the early leaders. The Queen's colt, Landau, was moving well, although he has been so temperamental lately that he has had to be attended by a psychiatric horse doctor. Never Say Die was a careful fifth. Almost out of sight behind the gorse at the far turn, the field thundered into the dangerous, downhill arc of Tattenham Corner. Rowston Manor faded. Landau quit. And then, in the stretch, Never Say Die made his move. Booted by his 18-year-old jockey, Lester Piggot, he passed the wire a healthy two lengths ahead of another 33-to-1 shot, Arabian Night. The youngest jockey to ride a winner in Derby history had ridden the first American-bred winner since Iroquois in 1881.

In the infield, the old tipster saw few 'appy, smiling faces, but bravely started his pitch for the next race: "Now, ladies and gents, this 'orse . . ." The Queen graciously congratulated the winning jockey, her horse went back for further treatment by its psychiatrist.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.