This film is part of Free
Derby 1928
And they're off! The annual landmark of equine excellence on the flat delivers a surprise 33-to-1 winner for massive crowds in 1928.
Overview
As a landmark fixture of the sporting calendar, even non-horsey types sit up and take notice of the Derby at Epsom Downs in Surrey. By 1928 the race already had almost 150 years of history behind it, and this edition offered a record equalling time and the 33-to-1 outsider Felstead as an unexpected winner. George V may have had a better view on the day than much of the heaving crowd, but it was the cinema audience who got 'slow-mo' footage of the finish - thanks to this action-packed newsreel item - to add to the sporting drama.
The winning jockey was Harry Wragg, the first of his three Derby victories, with follow up wins in 1930 and 1942. 'The Head Waiter', as he was nicknamed for his habit of sitting back in races before pulling in front when the line approached, moved on to a career as a trainer and didn't retire until 1982. Felstead the horse was less fortunate, depending on how you look at it, falling injured soon after his Derby win and spending the rest of his life on a stud farm.
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