I thought it was Bird, maybe wrong though. Cant remember Citizen Bull

The 200th Derby 1979:

A scintillating performance by Troy.

Some contemporaneous commentary from 'Horse and Hound' magazine, 15th June 1979

THE RACE ITSELF

Last Wednesday he also demonstrated a wonderful racing temperament to go with his physique - apparently falling asleep during what, for more highly strung horses, can be the long ordeal of the Derby paddock and parade.

Troy's temperament - and that of his jockey - were soon subjected to an even greater test, because in the first half of the Derby, with Lyphard's Wish making the running from Milford and Accomplice, Willie found immediate difficulty in taking and keeping a position.

This was not the fist time Troy has taken a while to warm-up and after the Royal Lodge Stakes last year (the race which caused me to prefer his conqueror Ela-Mana-Mou last week) Willie blamed himself for asking Troy to chase Lyphard's Wish too strongly and too soon.

Maybe they both remembered that race now, for although Willie was nudging and pushing quite early, Troy seemed to take remarkably little notice. He was in any case checked by beaten horses falling back near the top of the hill (Laska Floko was one of them) and half way down it, tucked against the inside rail, he had at least 14 still in front of him.

Lyphard's Wish, as I've said, had jumped off from the start and while Accomplice was the first to dispute his lead, Lester Piggott, drawn outside them both, soon moved Milford into second place.

Those three led down the hill, and round Tattenham Corner they were followed by the French colt Northern Baby, the Irish pair Noelino and Dickens Hill, Man of Vision, Lake City, Hardgreen, Ela-Mana-Mou, Cracaval, New Berry and Niniski.

All those 13 were in front of Troy at that stage so, apart from Saracen Prince, who had taken no part at all, the only ones behind him were Tap on Wood (never going well at any stage, according to Steve Cauthen), Two of Diamonds, Morvetta, Leodegrance, Chetinkaya, Halyudh, Son of Love and Laska Floko.

The eventual winner seemed in fact to have less chance than well over half his rivals and although he enjoyed quite a good run round the inside of the bend itself, his position early in the straight, still imprisoned on the rail, looked fraught with danger and almost devoid of hope.

At that moment, with three furlongs left, Lyphard's Wish had already begun to feel the strain. It may be possible to lead throughout a modern Derby, but only an out-and-out stayer will ever do it and that, as was now revealed, Lyphard's Wish was not.

Milford might be one day, but this time the effort of matching the leaders' pace up the initial hill had not altogether surprisingly drained his reserves.

Accomplice was beaten too and, as Noelino came under the whip in vain, Tony Murray, poised just behind Northern Baby on Dickens Hill, actually felt the need to take a pull for fear of striking the front too soon.

As regards Northern Baby and the weakening Lyphard's Wish, his confidence was entirely justified, but by now, unseen behind him, the race's vital decision had been taken and acted on.

Still nearly three furlongs from home, Willie Carson could see no future on the inside rail. It would have needed a whole series of miracles to get him through along that route - and it needed one or two to get Troy out as quickly and easily as he did.

But, happily, nothing outside them was going quite well enough to bar their way and so with a change of course as decisive as Greville Starkey's on Shirley Heights last year - though in the opposite direction - Willie pulled off the rail and threaded Troy out towards the freedom up the middle of the course.

Once there - and it didn't take long - what he got was his first glimpse of daylight since the start, and its effect was explosive and spectacular. In the next 200 yards, in fact, the 200th Derby was dramatically decided.

"I had just about taken the lead", Tony Murray says, understandably somewhat aggrieved, "when that Willie comes up alongside us, going as though he had only just jumped off".

That was indeed the impression Troy gave and, flying past the leaders in a dozen strides, he opened up in just over a furlong a wider gap than any Derby winner since Manna 54 years ago.

Admittedly, and quite rightly, Willie Carson did not mess around. "Well you don't in a Derby do you,", he says. "Anyway I was thinking of how that Piggott fellow came and did me on Hot Grove".

So waving his whip in his left hand (the side on which he broke  collar bone three weeks ago) Willie rode home in triumph to a memorable victory with that Piggott fellow struggling far behind.

The Irish 2000 Guineas winner Dickens Hill, was a deserving if respectful second, Northern Baby was third for France and Ela-Mana-Mou ran on to be fourth, without showing a trace of the speed with which he outgunned Troy last year.

Of the rest there really isn't much to say. Lyphard's Wish and Hardgreen, fifth and sixth, ran close to their Mecca-Dante form, Man of Vision was a slightly disappointing seventh, paying no compliment to the French Derby winner, Top Ville, and Cracaval, though best of the Barry Hills' trio, was only eighth.

"...I don't know how those geezers ever made it pay "

Yeah right, although Bird was considered to be the most successful
of the big-time professional gamblers.  At his peak  he would reckon to make about 2% on turnover.  It's worth noting, however,
that his turnover approached £2 million.  A colossal sum for one man
in those days, even today it would be a colossal amount.

A few other big-time professional gamblers around at that time,
Topper Robson, Charles Cox, and then after them The Dodger (Simon McCartney),
John Gough.

Gough made a fortune from backing horses but not sure he kept it.
Don't know what happened to him, was in Australia last I heard.

Great thread developing here....(for us older boys!)

One in a Million - 1000GNS

She won the GNS the day Mrs thatcher was elected as Prime Minister.

Finished my night shift in I.T. that morning, went back home at Mum and Dad's, had a nice brekkie, nice bath and then went on the coach to Newmarket. Had a big bet on OIAM (8/11, I think) coach back home, out in the jalopy with a bird, then home again at about midnight and stayed up until 5am to watch the election unfold. Jesus, all that time with no kip...to be 19 years old again eh?!!!

My first 'big bet' as a schoolboy was a £5 win One In A Million, at evens in the Coronation Stakes - I thought I had the game by the balls!

didnt she get it in the stewards room??, Buz khasi(spelling) rings a bell!!!

Wragg's Buz Kashi (I think) - 33/1 poke?

zilzal1

Happy, happy days eh? When punting realy was fun. No fear, horse racing form stood up and you always had the old Hackney Wick BAGS meetings to bale out on!

With Troy's Derby, did not someone on one of the open topped buses sling a toilet roll at the Wildenstein horse as it passed by or have I got my Derby's mixed up?

Yep, great days, good money for an LBO Manager then, had digs in South Ken, plenty of Girls and good nights out.

Think it was another Derby with the bog roll, cant remember which one though!!

Rebecca sharp

"Also got the professional gambler series,with the couple who took tea dances at the Waldorf"

That was bloody hilarious. No way was that woman a professional gambler.
And that bloke with, the oddball, he looked well dodgy !

I think she had some sort of romantic image of  a female pro gambler,
and just pretended she was one, afternoon tea dance at the Ritz
and then down the local betting shop.........
And her sidekick who looked really odd following her around,
not sure what part he played, he did look weird, surely not her partner ?

Blimey, if my winner finding was as good as my memory of when I was young I'd be well sorted!!!

Was marking the board for the aforementioned coronation stakes.
I had misheard a non runner given out on the tannoy,and crossed buz kashi out on the sheet'

No tv in bookies then,but as the result was announced[buz kashi]murmurs were growing in the shop about not being able to back the'non-runner'.

Thought i was going to get lynched but the stewards came to my rescue.

Its probably our age though we certainly are spoilt with racing. Id say my punting is on a different planet to all those years ago as if we're honest we only remember the good times. i think i started improving when i subscribed to Raceform Note book in the early 80s.

On course and bookmakers are dead though, except for the big meetings, we are more risk adversive though and that age.

I remember going on holiday in Newquay in 78, got drunk and did most of my holiday money in Laddies in about an hour

Not a good habit

FTS - how did you find that?
30 years ago

Ribotman

Some great memories flooding back here lads. I was a teen in '79 as well, though sadly I had to make do with occasional encounters with an older woman rather than hanging around at the Playboy Club !!

Shut it Zilzal...I'm having enough difficulty concentrating on the form!

I particularly enjoyed the sniffing to be honest Zilzal. Still do, but let's keep that a secret.

And God Bless Pamela.

With regards to the O.P Tromos was out of the great broodmare Stilvi who produced
Tyrnavos(irish Derby)
Tachypous(middle park)
Taxiarchos(minor winner was @ Donny when beaten by Walwyn Formidable)
Tolmi(Oak Tree Stakes (Charles & DI wedding day)
Tenea (cant recall her winning but i think purchased by Sangster as broodmare)

Not quite sure what Tolmi or Tenea produced of not @ stud anyone recall?

Of course Ged Fairy Footsteps holding on think Go Leasing Harwood was close up.
Canna recall tho what won last yrs 1000 GNS