CAUSE OF LEGALITY’S FAILURE.

Knockando was drawn about the centre. About Bushes Hill I had wiped out Twelve Pointer because of the ground he had lost, and until that landmark was reached Legality was going all right. He may have lost a length or two on the leaders at the start, but nothing of serious account. Then quite suddenly I saw him falter, and I feared that he might have jarred himself. Happily, however, I found this was not so, and the suspicions that he had broken down because he appeared to walk away as though sore were absolutely groundless. His jockey thought the horse was not going with his customary freedom, and began to pull him up before reaching the stands. All that his trainer can suggest is that Legality felt the difference between the good going at Whatcombe and the very firm ground at Newmarket. He certainly carried the confidence of his trainer in a most unusual degree. Mr. Dawson may never have been so sanguine of winning a race, and he is far from being a confident man.

However, it has to be noted that Parth was going great guns as they passed the Bushes and commenced the descent of Bushes Hill. His name was loudly acclaimed, but hopes rapidly faded as it was seen he could not maintain his position. Three or four others began to close on him. D’orsay was closing on him, so also was Knockando, two incidents which at once conjured up visions of a big surprise about to be perpetrated. Twelve Pointer suddenly began to loom into the picture, and just for a few strides he looked like coming right to the front with a splendid run, but he died out half-way up the hill. The leeway and difficulties he had to contend with had taken tod much out of him. Knockando was meanwhile holding D’orsay and Papyrus, when Ellangowan came swooping down on the lot of them. With splendid action and sustained stamina Lord Rosebery’s colt descended on the leaders, bunched close together, and gaining ground at every stride, and ridden with splendid judgment and strength by Elliott, he got up in the last stride to force his head in front and gain a memorable and quite dramatic victory.

If Ellangowan had electrified all observers by his thrilling rush to victory, it is quite certain that the judge did so by signalling Legality as filling second place. The grey horse had finished no nearer than about ninth, and was being pulled up before the placed horses were contesting those few last critical yards. However, there was the grey’s number in the frame, and there it stayed for a long time, though everyone knew that a big mistake had been made, especially as Knockando was not even placed third. As a matter of fact, Archibald, who had ridden Knockando, was under the impression that he had won, and I personally would not have been surprised had a dead-heat between the two been signalled. One realised it could only be a matter of time for the error to be put night, and after the Stewards had enabled the judge to hear the evidence of Archibald and Hulme, the latter, of course, agreeing that he had finished a long way outside the first three, the official responsible sought permission to have the correction made. Naturally, it was at once granted. The judge placed Papyrus fourth, but then must have been little in it between that horse and Twelve Pointer.

I am sure that Ellangowan is a worthy winner of the race, because of the way he came and did his work. He has come on tremendously by his race for the Craven Stakes, and there is still a deal of improvement about him. That, indeed, is what I like most about him in thinking of his Derby prospects, since it is obvious that a colt which can come on like he has in a fortnight must be out of the ordinary, and should certainly be an appreciably better horse with another month or more over him. Moreover, he is a very nice sort for Epsom, regarding him in a physical sense. It is also, in his favour that he has a charming disposition, and that his trainer, Jack Jarvis, for which this classic victory is a splendid achievement, has never been in doubt that he would make a top-sawyer given plenty of time to mature and come to his strength.