THE Weather Eye wager for today's Derby at Epsom has to be Storm Trooper, last seen quoted at odds of 10-1. The name could well be apt, since there have been many occasions in the 217 year history of, the race when contenders have had to live up to such a reputation. The 132nd Derby was a case in point.
The race is the most famous of the five English Classics and was inaugurated on May 4th, 1780 by the twelfth Earl of Derby. It was been held on Epsom Downs every year since, except for two short periods during the wars when was run at Newmarket - presumably so the odds would not be interfered with by the distracting noise of international conflict. Derby Day itself conjures up a unique picture of champagne and sunshine, strawberries and cream, parasols, top hats and My Fair Lady, and most of the time the elements have acquiesced in this sybaritic image - but not always.
The 132nd, the "Coronation Derby" was held on May 31st, 1911 and was so called because King George V was to be crowned a few days later. Much of the month of May that year was fine, hot and settled but the weather broke and turned very thundery in the final days. During the afternoon of the 31st, the event took place in very warm and humid conditions and was won, appropriately enough, by Sunstar. But shortly afterwards a fierce thunderstorm with giant hailstones and lightning at a rate of 30 strokes a minute, developed over, Epsom Downs and struck terror into the returning race goers.
"It was an inferno of water, mud, thunder, lightning and hail," the Daily Express reported. "Innumerable cars were rendered hors de combat, horses plunged with fright, confusing heaps of figures were inextricably jumbled together in narrow roadways and half drowned pedestrians, drenched cyclists, terrified women and children, and battalions of men were all helpless against the mighty powers of nature in one of her most savage moods."
These conditions were general over the entire southeast of England. Places in Surrey had over 90mm of rainfall in a few hours - more than the normal monthly total. "Lightening was very vivid and forked," another report went on, "and was at times right overhead. A boy and a horse were killed at Buckle's Gap, and eight or nine men sheltered on Banstead Downs were struck by lightning, several being killed." It was the worst Derby Day of all time, and before the end of it 17 people and four horses had been killed by the storm and in related incidents.