At Epsom Downs

At 15 to 8 Washington M. G. Singer's bay colt Orwell was the shortest priced Derby favorite since 1906, probably the most heavily backed in history. Bettors had wagered $10,000,000 that he would win. Of the 20 other horses that went to the post, twelve were at odds of 50 or 100 to 1 and only five had any substantial backing. They were Lord Rosebery's Miracle, the Aga Khan's Dastur, Cockpen, Hesperus, and April the Fifth, owned by an actor-manager named Tom Walls. Tom Walls had bought April the Fifth--named for its birthday, which was also Actor Walls's--as a yearling for 200 guineas. Last week he told all his friends to bet on April the Fifth, promised his cinema company at Elstree a week's holiday if he won.

The Epsom crowd--over 500,000--was well-pleased by the parade to the post. Orwell walked in an efficient fashion, sleek and dignified, while the other horses pranced and sidled. When the race started, Orwell, still sleek and dignified, was less efficient. He stayed in the bunch behind the leaders while first Cockpen, then Lord Derby's Portofino. then Dastur took the lead. With a furlong and a half to go, Dastur was still ahead with Miracle running second and April the Fifth third. In black & pink, Jockey Fred Lane on the Walls horse and Jockey Wragg, riding Miracle, challenged at the same time. For an instant, the three horses were running head to head in an utter silence that had fallen when the crowd saw that Orwell had been left behind in the straightaway. April the Fifth crossed the finish first, less than a length ahead of Dastur, who was leading Miracle by a head.

There was a loud cheer as Owner Walls, who trains his own horses and motors to-Epsom every night so that he can live near his stables, led April the Fifth into the winner's circle. Said Owner Walls, a one-time jockey, then a policeman, locomotive engineer, actor, playwright and master of hounds: "I am glad to have lived for this . . . for once I'm the hero of a drama instead of a farce. . . ." He went to the Royal box, was congratulated by King George.

Jostled by the immense crowd on their arrival, the royal party was affronted on leaving Epsom Downs last week by an unruly religious procession with a hymn playing band & banners inscribed "Christ Forgives You for Your Unholy Pleasures."

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