His Grace THE DUKE OF PORTLAND,
K.G.
THERE'S MAGIC in the names of these Derby winners whose blood still lives in race-horses running today. Flying Dutchman, Blink Bonny, Blair Athol ; Galopin (forbear of the Duke of Portland's famous horse, St. Simon) ; the Duke of Westminster's four winners between 1880 and 1899-Bend Or, Shotover, Ormonde, and Flying Fox. St. Simon's sons, Persimmon and Diamond Jubilee , winners for Edward VII when he was Prince of Wales. And who can forget Volodyovski— known as ' Bottle of Whisky ' to the crowd ?
It comes to few men to win a Derby, to fewer still to-win it twice, and to even fewer t . win it in consecutive years. This evening the Duke of Portland is to tell listeners about the victories of Ayrshire and Donovan, his winners in 1888 and 1889. One of the most famous of Derby winners was Bend Or's son, Ormonde, who, ridden by Archer, won in 1886. John Porter of Kingsclere, who trained seven Derby winners, considered Ormonde the greatest horse he had ever known. Ormonde won the 2,000 Guineas, the Derby, and the St. Leger, and thus won what is known as the triple crown ; he ran in fifteen races, won over £27,000, and was never beaten.
A good story is told about him.
His owner, the Duke of Westminster, held a reception at Grosvenor House, Park Lane, to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1887. Ormonde stood on the lawn, surrounded by admirers. He always had a partiality for buttonholes. The Queen of the Belgians fed him with lawn grass and carnations ; Indian princes with geraniums and pelargoniums. He had the day of his life.