Part 9 (1/2)
”Is Merry Monarch favorite?” she asked.
”No, Gold Star and he'll about win.”
”Don't you believe him,” said Eve, ”he's deceiving you; my tip will win, Merry Monarch, I had it straight from the Baron.”
”Who's the Baron?” asked Ella.
”A great admirer of Eve's,” said Alan.
”Is that true?” asked Ella.
”Mr. Chesney states it as a fact; I am not aware of it,” was the reply.
They went into the paddock and inspected some of the horses, but the crush was so great they were glad to return to the box.
Half an hour before the great race there was a scene of unparalleled excitement, for there had been much wagering for some weeks and several of the runners were heavily backed. Orbit came with a rush in the market and touched four to one; Merry Monarch was at eights, a good price, for the Baron was a popular idol with the public.
Nothing, however, shook the position of Gold Star, who was firm as a rock, and Alan accepted five to four about him in thousands; somehow, he was not inclined to save on Merry Monarch, was it because the Baron had given Eve the tip?
The parade was interesting; the new colors of the sixteen riders flashed in the sun, the horses' coats shone like satin.
Gunner was on the favorite. Tommy Colley rode Orbit, Ben Bradley Merry Monarch. He was a great horseman, quite at the top of the tree. His finishes were superb, he had s.n.a.t.c.hed many a race out of the fire--on the post.
Nothing looked better than the Baron's horse as they went past on the way to the post; the scarlet jacket glided along quickly, heading the others. Gold Star and Orbit were much fancied. Curlew, Halton, and Sniper had friends. Postman was the outsider, a two-hundred-to-one chance; only a few pounds went on him for the sake of the odds.
Thousands of people watched the horses, little dreaming that in another twelve months Epsom Downs would be vacant on Derby Day and wounded soldiers the only occupants of the stand, turned into a hospital.
There was, however, a shadow of war over the land, and rumors had been ripe for some time that all was not well. n.o.body on this wonderful day, however, antic.i.p.ated the storm would burst so soon. There had been false alarms before, rumblings of thunder from Europe, but the country was lulled with a sense of security which events completely shattered. Hundreds of men watching the Derby were lying dead on the battlefields before twelve months had pa.s.sed.
The race commenced, and after a roar of ”They're off!” the shouting ceased, there was a peculiar stillness for a few moments, then the hubbub broke out again, gradually increasing as the horses came along.
”What's that in white?” asked Eve.
”Postman, a two-hundred-to-one chance,” said Alan.
The outsider was lengths in front, his jockey had been instructed to come right away and do the best he could. It was a forlorn hope, such tactics were more likely to succeed than others because they would not be antic.i.p.ated.
Gold Star and Merry Monarch were racing together in good positions; so were Orbit and Curlew; while Sniper was at the tail end of the field.
Ella thought it a strange uphill and down course, very different from the flat tracks of Flemington, Caulfield, and Ranwick. She would not have been surprised to see a spill at one of the bends, and when Tattenham Corner was reached she gave a gasp as she saw two or three riders dangerously near the rails. Once in the straight the excitement broke loose, the strange, wonderful excitement a race for the Derby causes and which is like no other vast human emotion anywhere, and for any cause. The Derby thrill has a hold upon people that nothing else has, and is repeated year after year. There are men who have seen many Derbies decided and for thirty years or more in succession have experienced the thrill of the race.
A Derby transplanted from Epsom is a mere ordinary race. It is the famous surroundings cause the fascination, and Epsom Downs shares the fame of Derby Day.
Gold Star picked his way through to the front, and as he took the lead there was a tremendous shout for the favorite. It made Ella start, and Eve said:
”Something worth seeing and hearing, is it not?”
”Wonderful!” exclaimed Ella, her face eager with excitement.
Although Gold Star held such a prominent position his victory was not yet a.s.sured, for on the right, in the center of the course, came Merry Monarch, and Orbit, with Postman still struggling gamely. They reached the stands amid terrific din, a pandemonium of sound, and people pressed hard on to the rails, five or six deep, in the vain hope of seeing the tops of the riders' heads, and gleaning some information as to the likely winner from the color of their caps.