Worship with Church at the Derby altar
Dedicated historian recalls crying aged nine as Dante beat his horse into second in 1945
If, during the course of this week, I come out with a few fancy Derby facts, you will know where I found them, because Michael Church, in the grand tradition of Derby historians, has updated his book The Derby Stakes: The Complete History 1780-2016.
Church’s love affair with the race began in 1945, when he listened to the wireless as Dante won the last wartime Derby, at Newmarket. Aged nine at the time, he had backed the runner-up, Midas, and shed tears as Dante, the only northern-trained Derby winner since Pretender in 1869, ran out a famous two-length winner. Nevertheless he records, without a hint of bitterness, that “there were great celebrations in Yorkshire. The famous bell at Middleham was tolled and Billy Nevett, Dante’s jockey, was carried shoulder high at a special ‘Dante Ball’.”
The book contains essays on riding styles, and also on the Derby’s high and low points, such as the 1844 race, known as the Running Rein Affair, when the ‘winner’ was disqualified after turning out to be a four-year-old, as well as the Suffragette Derby of 1913 and the first photo-finish Derby in 1949.
He has also come up with 24 nominations for ‘Derby winner of the decade’, the most recent of these being Golden Horn, Sea The Stars, Generous and Shergar. The only decade in which he is unable to split two horses is the 1970s, when the honour is shared by Mill Reef and Nijinsky.
“The ratings favoured Mill Reef, but how could I leave out the last Triple Crown winner?” he asks.
Doctor’s cracking read
Dr Guy Staight, racecourse doctor at Epsom between 1983 and 1994, has written a novel, based on the true story of his grandfather, Tom Bomford, a farmer who joined up with the Worcester Yeomanry at the start of the First World War.
It is called Testament, after the bible he was given by his parents as he set off. It was taken from him when he was captured by the Turks in Egypt, eventually returned and now sits on Staight’s bedside table.
The novel is a cracking read about one of the less well-known campaigns of the First World War.
On one of Staight’s first days as racecourse doctor at Epsom, a senior jockey fell near Tattenham Corner. The young doctor rushed to the scene with an ambulanceman to attend the jockey, who had concussion and an injured ankle.
“I think it’s best if we take you back in the ambulance, so I can check you properly in the medical room,” said Staight.
“I’m not going in the f-----ambulance,” announced the jockey.
“Well,” continued Staight, nervous that his authority was being undermined. “I really think it would be a good idea.”
“P--- off,” replied the jockey. At this point, the experienced ambulanceman interrupted. “I think we need the squeeze test.”
“Good idea,” replied Staight with no idea what he was on about.
“What the hell is the squeeze test?” asked the jockey.
“I grab hold of both your testicles and squeeze really hard to check for concussion,” said the ambulance man.
The doctor was knocked over in the rush as the jockey sprinted into the back of the ambulance.
“Never fails,” commented the ambulanceman.