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Herbert Jones, Minoru and the Triple Crown of 1909

Completing the series produced by our volunteer Peter Bloor, he reflects on Herbert Jones’s partnership with Minoru in 1909, where he went on to win two of the triple crown, falling short at the St. Leger, for which the 2025 edition starts today (11 September).

Deciding the fastest, the luckiest and the best 

In 1909, nine years after winning the Two Thousand Guineas, the Derby and the St. Leger, and hence the Triple Crown, for the Prince of Wales on Diamond Jubilee Herbert Jones had the unexpected opportunity to win another for the same owner - now Edward VII - on Minoru. He would fail at the last, when circumstances finally gave due weight to two-year-old form and three-year-old quality, but the three races did substantiate the saying within racing that “the fastest horse wins the Guineas, the luckiest the Derby and the best the St. Leger.”

“His chance does not appear entirely hopeless”

While they could not be entirely discounted Minoru’s chances of success in the Classics – and certainly in the Derby - in 1909 did not appear to be strong. He had run creditably as a two-year-old, winning one race and being placed in four others, but was rated as having much to make up on Bayardo, who had easily won all seven of his races, and on quite a number of other horses, including Louviers and Sir Martin. These, with William the Fourth, would be his rivals in the three races to discover if any were fast, lucky and good enough for a Triple Crown.

The Two Thousand Guineas

Before the start of the season reports were circulating of the improvement Minoru had made over the winter but it was assumed that Bayardo had improved similarly – until that is they appeared in the paddock prior to the Two Thousand Guineas. Richard Marsh had trained Minoru to the peak of condition but, amidst other reports that he had been suffering from laminitis – inflammation of the hooves - Bayardo was clearly lacking fitness despite the claims of his owner and trainer that he was fit enough not just to run but to win.

The running proved them wrong. Bayardo never looked a likely winner but Minoru did from the moment Herbert recognised that if the narrowing gap between Louviers and Phaleron were to close then he would be shut out. He responded immediately and sent Minoru speeding through the ever-smaller space and into the lead, from where Herbert let him sail along untroubled to win by two lengths with Bayardo fourth.

The Derby - “The luck of the race”

Bayardo was ready for the Derby a month later, as was Minoru, still a picture of health and condition under the training of Mr. Marsh. Neither was the favourite though, that was the American-bred Sir Martin who was running well in a good position round Tattenham Corner when he fell, having clipped the heels of another runner, slipped on the greasy turf or simply been crowded in and left with nowhere to go. Whatever its cause his fall badly hampered Bayardo and in particular William the Fourth who almost had to pull up and start again, leaving Minoru to fight out the race with Louviers, who added to Minoru’s luck by running wide at the Corner, obliging his jockey Georges Stern to pull him round too sharply, lose momentum and, as Stern put it, “let up Minoru on the rails.”

On they thundered on up the straight, Minoru and Louviers, Herbert and Stern side by side, battling out the race of their lives that the judge called for Minoru by a head with the fastest-finisher of all, the seriously hampered William the Fourth, bearing down on them half a length away in third.

The St. Leger – “from the start the race was not for Minoru”

Somehow Mr. Marsh had kept Minoru in top condition for the three months between the Derby and the St. Leger but Bayardo now stood comparison with him as a very different horse to the unfit one at the Guineas having put on significant bulk and muscle. Now he looked and indeed was ready, as the race proved.

Despite it being run at a moderate pace Minoru somehow lacked life and energy and those who soon spotted that he would not be a contender were vindicated half a mile out when Herbert asked him to go round the outside to begin his run and he was unable to do so. Minoru had clearly failed to stay the distance, unlike the now physically impressive Bayardo who, when jockey Danny Maher finally made his move, passed Valens, The Story and Mirador in just three strides to win so easily that Maher was pulling him up at the post with Minoru later trailing in a distant fourth of seven.

Minoru “a lucky animal” - but Bayardo still better

Following the Leger Herbert was asked if he had any excuses for Minoru’s defeat. “None whatever” he replied, “and I think the horse, in view of today’s running, was a lucky animal to win the Two Thousand [when Bayardo had not been fit] and Derby [when the favourite had fallen, hampering two rivals before the then-leader blundered].” The Triple Crown had not been won but when Herbert added that Minoru had been “beaten by a better horse and you cannot get away from it” the ‘fastest, luckiest, best’ saying had been proved perceptive indeed.

Herbert Jones, from apprentice to Royal jockey

Speaking to the Weekly Dispatch after Herbert had won the Two Thousand Guineas in 1900 on Diamond Jubilee for the then-Prince of Wales trainer Richard Marsh told the story of their meeting after the race. “When he [the Prince] shook Jones by the hand and had congratulated him the lad came over to me” Marsh recalled, “and said ‘I have got a royal hand now sir and I won’t wash it for a month.’”

This clearly meant a great deal to the young Herbert who repaid the now-King in kind on the afternoon of May 6^th 1910 by riding a last winner for him, Witch of the Air in the Spring Two-Year-Old Plate, the 4.15 at Kempton Park. As he did so the King lay dying but at 5 o’clock he still asked if his horse had won and was very pleased to be told that it had. He died shortly before midnight, Herbert having provided a fitting end to both their association and to his time riding for the owner for whom he had won the Two Thousand Guineas, the Derby and the St. Leger in 1900 and the Guineas and Derby again in 1909.

References

The quotes and other information in this article are taken from the Morning Leader, the Sporting Life, The Sportsman, the Daily Express and The Times 1909 and 1910, and the Weekly Dispatch of May 13th 1900.

Images - Herbert Jones on Minoru Players 1933, Minoru Phillips 1923, The King, Diamond Jubilee and Herbert Jones F.E. Smith 1913