Epsom genius
A hundred years ago this summer the rigreatest jockey of the age rode the winner of the Derby. Fred Archer's victory on Melton was a joy to punters, who had followed Archer as they have followed only four other jockeys in the history of England, the country which gave the world racing: Cannon in the early years of the 19th century, Steve Donaghue in the early years of this, Sir Gordon Richards — and for the last quarter-century, Lester Piggott, who this week announced, albeit with
subsequent qualification, that he will be retiring from the saddle at the end of this year's Flat season. In the 37 years since he rode his first winner, at the age of 12, Piggott has broken most but not all of the records set by his glorious predecessors. His nine winners in the Derby is a record which will almost certainly never be sur- passed. He shows his genius in its purest form at Epsom: at the start, at Tattenham Corner, in the cambered straight — and of course, in choosing the horse to ride in the first place.
T ord Balogh, Harold Wilson's Hungar-
ian economist, who has just died, was a legendary figure at Balliol College, of which he was a fellow. Like earlier Balliol men, such as Jowett and Curzon Cray name is George Nathaniel Curzon. . .'), Balogh inspired his colleagues to compose one of the short poems that are traditional in the college:
My name is Tommy Balogh, Who the bloody f—ing hell are you? Poppet, don't be such a prude - Genius is always rude.
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