Alfred Charles Havell

Richard March, trainer of King Edward VII’s racehorses, selected Minoru for the King from a string of horses delivered to his stable at the end of August 1907. After training Minoru, March began enrolling him into various competitions. His two-year career turned out to be somewhat disappointing. By the end of 1908, March was ready to give up on Minoru. Yet after a surprisingly successful gallop just before the start of the 1909 flat-racing season, March was convinced that the colt had made considerable progress in both stamina and speed. Minoru’s first appearance as a three year old was at the Greenham Stakes at Newbury, where he beat out the favored Valens, demonstrating to the audience his ability to be a strong contender for the upcoming classics. Ridden by Herbert Jones, Minoru went on the win at the Guineas later that season.

The 1909 Derby was run on May 26^th. The favorite for the race (but with no previous qualifications) was the American-bred Sir Martin, who had been purchased by Mr. Louis Winans for 15,000 guineas as a Derby hopeful. As the horses took the bend around their final lap, Minoru was ideally placed amongst the leaders. Jones gracefully managed to slip Minoru through a gap, battling Louviers for the victory in a final gallop to the finish line.

Richard Mortimer, in his History of the Derby Stakes (London, 1962, n.p.), recorded how enthusiastic the roars of the crowd were as Minoru gallantly crossed over the finish line to claim his first major victory. Soon after the race ended, Minoru was brought to the weighing-in enclosure, where the King and the Prince of Wales stood to offer congratulations and lead in the victorious colt. As the King grabbed Minoru’s reins and worked his way into the audience’s view, cheers of "God Save the King" broke out across the Downs, making for one of the most memorable Derby wins in history.