A hundred years ago
From the 'Spectator,' 4 June 1870—The Derby this year has been a failure. The crowd was smaller, dingier, and more blackguard than usual, the road was very dull, the weather was very disagreeable, and the pace of the horses running was very slow. The public, too, lost its money. It chose to believe that because Mac- gregor was the fastest horse he therefore would win the race, and betted upon him till every- body who understood the Turf knew that he must lose or the Ring would be ruined. Consequently, Kingcraft, with 20 to 1 against him, came in first, and Macgregor, with 3 to 1 upon him, came in fourth. Moral: when you want to gamble, do it on dice. They may not be loaded. To judge by appearances, it will in a few years more be as bad style for men to go down to the Derby as it is now for women, and the Epsom course will be surrendered to the "legs," roughs, and fools, to whom, while the present racing system continues, race-courses naturally belong. When betting on horses has become unfashionable, the Legislature will probably decree that it shall also be illegal, and the millions will be compelled to throw away their money on some other method of guessing by rule,
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