Bradman’s finest innings, double century in the Lord’s Test of 1930. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘Don’s Century’

Bradman's finest innings. The Don considered his brilliant 254 at Lord’s in 1930 as his best, a flawless exhibition in the second Test that levelled the series 1-1.

There was much delight and nostalgia at Lord’s when two of first-class cricket’s biggest run-getters, Jack Hobbs and Frank Woolley, walked out together to open the batting for England in the absence of Herbert Sutcliffe, who had sustained an injury in the first Test. Thanks to Duleepsinhji’s superb 173 on first appearance against Australia, the hosts ran up a total of 425. Woodfull and Ponsford were sailing along, having raised 162.

Ponsford then seemed to lose focus, having just greeted King George V, who was visiting the ground. What followed was a Bradman gem. Woodfull was solid as ever but Bradman was in a different plane, smashing the English bowling in a stunning display over two-and-a-half hours that afternoon. The partnership realised 231 runs, and by close of play Australia were 404 for two, with Bradman on 155.

Kippax then featured in a stand of 192, and by the time Bradman made his first and last mistake, Australia had already taken a lead of 160. He had made a magnificent 254, having been at the crease for 341 minutes and stroked 25 boundaries in his 376-ball sojourn. Australia declared at 729 for six. The world now acknowledged the arrival of the run-getting phenomenon.

It was an innings that Bradman himself rated as his best. Every shot except one, he reminisced, went exactly where he intended, even the stroke that got him out. While making that last hit Bradman just overlooked that Percy Chapman, who took the catch, was a very tall man, and he also regarded it as one of the best catches he had ever seen.

Bradman is quoted in the Jack Bannister-compiled The Innings of My Life as saying, “It was my first innings in a Test at Lord’s, recognised as the home of cricket, and there was understandably a great deal of pressure on me. I have picked this innings because, though I played more valuable and important innings, I never played one so technically perfect. There was only one delivery I didn’t hit where I wanted (when on 191), and even that went along the ground to second slip.”

In an interview with Mike Popham of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) television for the 200th anniversary of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 1987, Bradman reiterated that this was indeed the best innings he ever played in any class of cricket. He spoke about the atmosphere at Lord’s: “Like every young boy I was anxious to play at Lord’s, to have my first look at the ground. It has an atmosphere about it no other ground possesses. It’s not the best pitch, it’s not the best playing field, but it has this atmosphere. You can’t see it, you can’t touch it, but you can feel it. I think it’s got a great influence on the way you perform. You have to walk through the Long Room. You’re a part of history walking out there to bat, and I think that helps to inspire you to give a good performance.”

In the second innings, needing just 72 runs to win, he fell for 1, to another brilliant catch by Chapman, the bowler being Tate for the fourth time in Bradman’s young career. Australia won by seven wickets, the series pegged at 1-1.

“This was one of the great Test matches of history,” Bradman continued in the BBC interview, “it finished within four days. There were just over 1600 runs made off a rate of bowling which averaged roughly 130 overs a day.”

(Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).

Don’s Century

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Fully illustrated

Paperback French Fold 11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches

Weight 480 grams

188 pages

Available on Amazon at an attractive price: https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166859  

Indra Vikram Singh's other books available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/s?k=Indra+Vikram+Singh&i=stripbooks&rh=p_6%3AA3HSV0N9AV7NOK&dc&qid=1602408830&rnid=1318474031&ref=sr_nr_p_6_1

Two classic books by Indra Vikram Singh available on Amazon at attractive prices

 

A Maharaja's Turf

Collector’s edition on the triumph of Maharaja Shri Vijaysinhji

of Rajpipla in the Epsom Derby of England in 1934

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6

Fully Illustrated

Hardcover with jacket 8.75 x 11.5 x 0.6 inches (landscape)

Weight 500 grams

140 Pages

Available at an attractive price on Amazon  https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166832

This is the story of the exhilarating victory of Maharaja Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla in the Epsom Derby of England in 1934, the only Indian owner to win the blue riband of the turf in its history dating back to 1780. The dapper Indian prince’s horse Windsor Lad, ridden by Charlie Smirke, left the hitherto undefeated favourite Colombo trailing in third place in the presence of royalty led by King George V and Queen Mary, and a multitude of an estimated quarter to half a million people on that damp afternoon of 6th June. The triumph earned the Maharaja a unique hat-trick of Derby victories as he had already clinched the first Indian Derby at Calcutta in 1919 with his horse Tipster, and the Irish Derby at Curragh in 1926 with Embargo.

Trained by Marcus Marsh, Windsor Lad went on to be rated as one of the finest horses of the 20^th century. Marcus Marsh’s father, Richard, had trained Derby-winning horses for the then reigning King George V and the late King Edward VII.  

The enthralling tale recounted by the Maharaja’s grandson Indra Vikram Singh offers an insider's insight, and is embellished with rare media photographs of the race and from the Rajpipla royal family collection over many generations. It has been extensively researched from about 80 newspapers and magazines of 1934, five books and websites, and carries articles by the Maharaja himself. There are news reports, cartoons and caricatures which open out a whole new world. Featured are the British royal family, the Aga Khan, Maharaja Man Singh II of Jaipur and the leading racehorses, owners, trainers and jockeys of the day, among other eminent personalities.

The book captures the era between the two World Wars, of imperial times and a royal lifestyle, also going back centuries into history, connecting the past and the present and depicting the march of time, even as the thrilling race remains the central theme. It unfolds the tale of the uncanny prophesy of Gipsy Lee, the several coincidences around the number 13, the defeat of a 'super-horse', and the unrelenting quest of a prince to realise his dream that is bound to keep the reader transfixed.

Don’s Century 

Biography of Don Bradman

and a panaroma of batting from the 1860s to the present times

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Fully illustrated

Paperback French Fold 11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches

Weight 480 grams

188 pages  

Available at an attractive price on Amazon  https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166859 

The questions still asked are: how great was Don Bradman actually, was he just a run-getting machine and a statistical marvel, or was he truly the best there has ever been, have there been other batsmen as good or better than Bradman. Don’s Century analyses Bradman’s batting technique, brings forth his amazing achievements at the crease, and assesses the merits of other great batsmen from the 1860s to the present times. Written in the centenary year of the peerless Don Bradman, the book is a celebration of the life and magic of the willow of The Don, and also of the art of batting and indeed the game of cricket. 

The 11-chapter book by Indra Vikram Singh, the only Indian biographer of Bradman, interspersed with stories and comments from legendary writers and cricketers alike, and extensively researched from scores of old publications, has three sections.

The main segment showcases Bradman's days at the crease from Bowral to Sydney, on to Lord's and Leeds, back to Adelaide, and finishing at The Oval in 1948. The legend begins with young Don’s rise to the top, his first fifty and hundred in the backwaters of Bowral, the maiden double century against Wingello and triple ton versus Moss Vale, hundred on first-class debut and on to Test cricket. Bradman’s legendary feats in the Test arena are recalled in all their magnificence, the hundreds in his first Test series, the unprecedented and still-unparalleled triumphs of the Ashes tour of 1930, and annihilation of the West Indies and South African teams.

The saga undergoes a dramatic twist with the vicious Bodyline attack that was devised solely to decimate the genius of Bradman. This chapter carries extracts from letters received by the author from England’s Bob Wyatt who was vice captain to Douglas Jardine during that infamous series.

The aftermath of Bodyline, Bradman’s exhilarating fightbacks on and off the field, how his stirring deeds brought solace to the suffering millions during the Great Depression, and his resilience as captain of Australia are presented lucidly, leading to the sabbatical brought about by the Second World War. The final lap of The Don’s career after the war, the firm hold on the Ashes, his exploits against the first Indian team after the nation’s independence, and finally the 1948 tour of England by his ‘Invincibles’ are described vividly and objectively. The text is supplemented by twenty scorecards detailing Bradman’s finest achievements in the first-class and Test arenas.

A large chapter in the middle is a panorama of batting portraying thirty-four of the best players down the ages, for no story of Sir Donald Bradman can be complete without an appraisal of other giants of the crease.

Commencing with the colossus of the Victorian era Dr. W.G. Grace, the captivating genius Prince Ranjitsinhji, the endearing and enthralling Victor Trumper from Australia, the complete master Sir Jack Hobbs, continuing with the likes of Frank Woolley, Charles 'Governor General' Macartney, Bill Ponsford, Walter Hammond, Stan McCabe, the forbear to West Indies giants George Headley, the brilliant South Africans Bruce Mitchell and Dudley Nourse, India’s Vijay Merchant, Sir Leonard Hutton, Dennis Compton, Neil Harvey, Arthur Morris, the inimitable Ws Sir Frank Worrell, Sir Everton Weekes and Sir Clyde Walcott, the original little master Pakistan’s Hanif Mohammad, the incomparable Sir Garfield Sobers, Graeme Pollock, Barry Richards, Greg Chappell, Sunil Gavaskar, Sir Vivian Richards, arguably New Zealand’s finest Martin Crowe, Steve Waugh, the exhilarating Sri Lankan Aravinda de Silva, and concluding with the champions of the modern era Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden, and many more referred to down history, how good they were, and how they compared with each other and Bradman.

They include some of Bradman's favourite players. This is not just a factual or statistical segment, but importantly talks about the epochs and conditions they played in, and also has interesting little tales. It traces the evolution and development of the game from W.G. Grace’s days in the 1860s till the present day.

The third and concluding part explores the vicissitudes of Bradman’s life, trials and tribulations, his persona, way of life and quest for excellence, the detractors, friends and family, post-retirement days and role as cricket administrator, and the final stretch of one of the most amazing stories ever, of a sporting hero and icon beyond compare. A handwritten letter from The Don received by the author Indra Vikram Singh in 1999, and an article based on it that he wrote at Bradman’s demise in 2001, are all featured in this tribute to the unquestioned king of kings of the crease.

There are nearly 100 classic photographs of Bradman and other greats in sepia brown from the top agencies of the world. A comprehensive statistics section highlighting Bradman’s accomplishments and records sums up the inspirational tale. A detailed index makes the book extremely user-friendly.

Indra Vikram Singh's books available on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.in/s?k=Indra+Vikram+Singh&i=stripbooks&rh=p_6%3AA3HSV0N9AV7NOK&dc&qid=1602408830&rnid=1318474031&ref=sr_nr_p_6_1

A Maharaja's Turf by Indra Vikram Singh: Collector’s edition on the triumph of Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla in the Epsom Derby of England in 1934

 A Maharaja's Turf

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6

Fully Illustrated

Hardcover with jacket 8.75 x 11.5 x 0.6 inches (landscape)

Weight 500 grams

140 Pages

Available at an attractive price on Amazon  https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166832

This is the story of the exhilarating victory of Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla in the Epsom Derby of England in 1934, the only Indian owner to win the blue riband of the turf in its history dating back to 1780. The dapper Indian prince’s horse Windsor Lad left the hitherto undefeated favourite Colombo trailing in third place in the presence of royalty led by King George V and Queen Mary, and a multitude of an estimated quarter to half a million people on that damp afternoon of 6th June. The triumph earned the Maharaja a unique hat-trick of Derby victories as he had already clinched the first Indian Derby at Calcutta in 1919 with his horse Tipster, and the Irish Derby at Curragh in 1926 with Embargo.

The enthralling tale recounted by the Maharaja’s grandson Indra Vikram Singh offers an insider's insight, and is embellished with rare media photographs of the race and from the Rajpipla royal family collection over many generations. It has been extensively researched from about 80 newspapers and magazines of 1934, five books and websites, and carries articles by the Maharaja himself. There are news reports, cartoons and caricatures which open out a whole new world. Featured are the British royal family, the Aga Khan, Maharaja Man Singh II of Jaipur and the leading racehorses, owners, trainers and jockeys of the day, among other eminent personalities. 

The book captures the era between the two World Wars, of imperial times and a royal lifestyle, also going back centuries into history, connecting the past and the present and depicting the march of time, even as the thrilling race remains the central theme. It unfolds the tale of the uncanny prophesy of Gipsy Lee, the several coincidences around the number 13, the defeat of a 'super-horse', and the unrelenting quest of a prince to realise his dream that is bound to keep the reader transfixed.

(The author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com. His blogs www.indravikramsingh.blogspot.com and www.singhiv.wordpress.com offer an insight into his work, his family and heritage.)

Contents :

Chapter 1 : Chasing a dream

Chapter 2 : Thoroughbred with great potential

Chapter 3 : Captivating prelude

Chapter 4 : Day of glory

Chapter 5 : "Good old Pip"

Chapter 6 : A time to celebrate

Chapter 7 : Media carnival

Chapter 8 : Windsor Lad: gallant and endearing

Chapter 9 : Marcus Marsh: chip off the old block

Chapter 10 : Charlie Smirke: dashing rider with a point to prove

Chapter 11 : An uncanny forecast..... and the lucky number 13

Chapter 12 : Was 'super horse' Colombo unlucky?

Chapter 13 : Experts and bookmakers bite the dust

Chapter 14 : Poignant moments

Chapter 15 : 'I didn't think I would win the Derby - I knew'

Chapter 16 : "My Three Derbys"

Chapter 17 : A life blessed

Chapter 18 : The family's cherished memories

Chapter 19 : Special postal cover to commemorate the platinum jubilee of the Derby triumph

Chapter 20 : Rajpipla State post

Chapter 21 : The Gohil Rajput clan

Epilogue

Bibliography

Colour photo feature / Royal family of Rajpipla in modern times

Indra Vikram Singh's other books on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.in/s?k=Indra+Vikram+Singh&i=stripbooks&rh=p_6%3AA3HSV0N9AV7NOK&dc&qid=1602408830&rnid=1318474031&ref=sr_nr_p_6_1

On the 85th Anniversary of his exhilarating Epsom Derby triumph, an article by Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla in Racing Post of August 1934

‘I didn’t think I would win the Derby – I knew’

When Windsor Lad won the 1934 Derby, it was the greatest

day in the life of its owner, the Maharajah of Rajpipla.

Later, ‘Mr. Pip’ penned his memoirs and, reproduced here,

offer a fascinating insight into the joys of owning an Epsom hero

Windsor Lad wins the 1934 Derby for the Maharajah of Rajpipla, a victory witnessed by the massed hordes of racegoers at Epsom.

Years ago I made up my mind to win the Derby, but it was not until the end of Windsor Lad’s two-year-old career that I realised I had a chance of achieving my great ambition. I have never owned racehorses on a big scale; but, then, I have to keep up two racing establishments, one in England and the other in India.

It was in the summer of 1932 that my trainer, Marcus Marsh, came to me and said he had bought me a future Classic winner. It was a yearling colt by Blandford out of Resplendent, and he bought it at the Newmarket sales for 1300 gns. I agreed to take the colt, and he certainly proved a wonderful investment.

I have a house near Windsor, and it was for this reason I called the colt Windsor Lad.

To me it was one of the most interesting and enjoyable things I have ever experienced to watch Windsor Lad growing up. My trainer and I always had tremendous faith in the horse and I knew it was going to be the first chance I had ever had of winning an English classic race. Month by month I watched him grow into the splendid animal he now is. Nothing ever went wrong with him, which is very unusual in a really good horse, and he was never sick or sorry, like most other racehorses become at one time or another.

Windsor Lad made his first appearance in public exactly a year after I bought him. He was not nearly fit and finished well down the course, but I was not in the least worried, as I knew he would take a long time to develop. It was not until the end of October that season that Windsor Lad won a race, but from then until now he has only once been beaten, and then most terribly unluckily.

At the beginning of 1934 I thought I had a chance of winning the Derby but I was not confident. Then Windsor Lad came out and won the Chester Vase, and from that moment I was absolutely convinced I would win the Derby. At the time there were tremendous stories going around about the wonders of Colombo: that he was the best horse ever seen in England, and that he was the biggest certainty ever known in the Derby. Nearly all my friends thought I was mad when I told them Windsor Lad would beat Colombo. I did not think I would win - I knew. In fact, a few days before the Derby was to be run, I was at a private party at which there was a fortune-teller. I was persuaded to have my fortune told.

“You are going to win a big race; I think it is the Derby,” the fortune-teller said.

“You’re telling me!” I replied.

The days leading up to the Derby were filled with much anxiety as to whether Windsor Lad would keep sound and well. The critical time in the Derby horse’s preparation is the last week, and my trainer hardly left Windsor Lad for a moment.

At last Derby Day arrived. I invited a party of friends to my box at Epsom to watch the race. I do not bet much, but on this occasion I was tempted to have a good deal more on than usual. I had backed Windsor Lad at long prices weeks before the race, but I put some more on when I got to Epsom. It was very thrilling waiting for the great race to take place. Several times on the way to Epsom people recognised me and shouted out good wishes.

Most of them I had never seen before, and it was very encouraging to feel that if I won it would be so popular.

My trainer was equally as confident as myself before the race. My jockey, Charlie Smirke, would not hear of defeat. Colombo was still the raging favourite, and everybody seemed to think he was a good thing.

Curiously enough, it was the 13^th Derby I had watched, and when the draw for the positions at the start was announced it was seen that Windsor Lad was drawn at No.13.

This coincidence made me even more confident than ever, as I had travelled to England from India in cabin No.13.

At last came the parade, one of the many impressive preliminaries before the Derby. Windsor Lad was looking great. And then the canter to the post. Those few minutes before the Derby seemed like an eternity; I thought they would never start, but after what seemed hours the barrier went up and the race began.

I could not realise that it was actually the Derby in progress and that Windsor Lad was one of the field. I watched the race through powerful glasses and never took my eyes off my colours, which, by the way, are purple with a cream sash and quartered cap. As they came round Tattenham Corner, Smirke dashed Windsor Lad through on the rails. He showed a wonderful nerve and daring to gain the key position. Halfway up the straight the great crowd began to realise that Windsor Lad might win.

As Easton and Colombo drew up to him there was wild excitement, and the cheering and shouting on all sides was deafening. I myself did not call out anything; I was so certain he would win.

It was really a wonderful finish to a wonderful race, and Windsor Lad pulled out an extra little bit in the last few yards and won me my first Derby amid thunderous cheers.

I felt bemused at first, and could not realise that I had actually won the world’s greatest race.

Then my friends pushed me down the stairs to hurry out on to the course to lead in the winner. I did not realise what I was doing, as it did not seem possible that I had really won the Derby, but the beaming faces of Marcus Marsh and Smirke assured me that such indeed was the case.

As I led Windsor Lad down the course and into the unsaddling enclosure I was given a wonderful reception by the British public. They were magnificent, and everybody seemed genuinely pleased that I had won.

The moments that followed are too hazy for me to recollect what I felt or said. Everybody shook hands with me and I was congratulated on all sides. The coolest of all was Windsor Lad, who never turned a hair, and I think he could have run another race a few minutes after.

Then Brigadier-General Tomkinson, the King’s manager, came and asked me if I would go up to the royal box, as His Majesty was anxious to congratulate me. I went up and was congratulated by the King and Queen and other members of the royal family, and His Majesty insisted on my drinking a glass of champagne. Everybody was wonderful, and I felt very happy.

Eventually I motored back to London, where I gave a big party at the Savoy for all my friends to celebrate my victory.

Yes, winning the Derby is a wonderful feeling and one that few people experience.

Two months after the Derby, Mr M H Benson offered me £50,000 for Windsor Lad, and after due consideration I decided to sell him, providing that he left the horse with Marcus Marsh. I was very sorry to part with my horse, but I had not a stud in England, so there was no point in refusing such a big offer.

I wish Mr Benson every good luck with him, and I think he will make a great sire.

Who knows, I may win the Derby again. At any rate, I bought several fine yearlings at the last Doncaster Sales, and I think I may have another Windsor Lad!

(This article has been reproduced in the book ‘A Maharaja’s Turf’ by Maharaja Shri Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla’s grandson Indra Vikram Singh).

A Maharaja’s Turf

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6

https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166832

A Maharaja's Turf: Collector’s edition on the triumph of Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla in the Epsom Derby of England in 1934

A Maharaja's Turf

by Indra Vikram Singh

Collector’s edition on the triumph of Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji

of Rajpipla in the Epsom Derby of England in 1934

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6

Fully Illustrated

Hardcover with jacket 8.75 x 11.5 x 0.6 inches (landscape)

140 Pages

Available on Amazon at an attractive price  https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166832

The Book : This is the story of the exhilarating victory of Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla in the Epsom Derby of England in 1934, the only Indian owner to win the blue riband of the turf in its history dating back to 1780. The dapper Indian prince’s horse Windsor Lad left the hitherto undefeated favourite Colombo trailing in third place in the presence of royalty led by King George V and Queen Mary, and a multitude of an estimated quarter to half a million people on that damp afternoon of 6th June. The triumph earned the Maharaja a unique hat-trick of Derby victories as he had already clinched the first Indian Derby at Calcutta in 1919 with his horse Tipster, and the Irish Derby at Curragh in 1926 with Embargo.

The enthralling tale recounted by the Maharaja’s grandson Indra Vikram Singh offers an insider's insight, and is embellished with rare media photographs of the race and from the Rajpipla royal family collection over many generations. It has been extensively researched from about 80 newspapers and magazines of 1934, five books and websites, and carries articles by the Maharaja himself. There are news reports, cartoons and caricatures which open out a whole new world. Featured are the British royal family, the Aga Khan, Maharaja Man Singh II of Jaipur and the leading racehorses, owners, trainers and jockeys of the day, among other eminent personalities.  

The book captures the era between the two World Wars, of imperial times and a royal lifestyle, also going back centuries into history, connecting the past and the present and depicting the march of time, even as the thrilling race remains the central theme. It unfolds the tale of the uncanny prophesy of Gipsy Lee, the several coincidences around the number 13, the defeat of a 'super-horse', and the unrelenting quest of a prince to realise his dream that is bound to keep the reader transfixed.

The Author : Hailing from the erstwhile royal family of Rajpipla, now in the state of Gujarat, India, Indra Vikram Singh is a heritage resort promoter, writer, author, editor and publisher. He is author of 'Test Cricket - End of the Road?' (Rupa & Co., 1992); 'World Cup Cricket' (Rupa & Co., 2002); 'The Little Big Book of World Cup Cricket' (edition I, Sporting Links, 2007); ‘The Little Big Book of World Cup Cricket’, edition II (ISBN 978-81-731422-0-8, Media Eight, 2011); ‘A Maharaja’s Turf’ (ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6, Sporting Links, 2011) on the triumph of his grandfather Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla in the Epsom Derby of England in 1934; 'The Big Book of World Cup Cricket' (ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3, Collector's edition, Sporting Links, 2011); 'Don's Century' (ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0, Sporting Links, 2011) which is a biography of Don Bradman and a panorama of batting from the 1860s to the present times; and 'Crowning Glory' (ISBN 978-81-901668-6-7, Sporting Links, 2011), a special supplement on India's win in the ICC World Cup 2011.   

The author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com. His blogs www.indravikramsingh.blogspot.com and www.singhiv.wordpress.com offer an insight into his work, his family and heritage.

Contents :

Chapter 1 : Chasing a dream

Chapter 2 : Thoroughbred with great potential

Chapter 3 : Captivating prelude

Chapter 4 : Day of glory

Chapter 5 : "Good old Pip"

Chapter 6 : A time to celebrate

Chapter 7 : Media carnival

Chapter 8 : Windsor Lad: gallant and endearing

Chapter 9 : Marcus Marsh: chip off the old block

Chapter 10 : Charlie Smirke: dashing rider with a point to prove

Chapter 11 : An uncanny forecast..... and the lucky number 13

Chapter 12 : Was 'super horse' Colombo unlucky?

Chapter 13 : Experts and bookmakers bite the dust

Chapter 14 : Poignant moments

Chapter 15 : 'I didn't think I would win the Derby - I knew'

Chapter 16 : "My Three Derbys"

Chapter 17 : A life blessed

Chapter 18 : The family's cherished memories

Chapter 19 : Special postal cover to commemorate the platinum jubilee of the Derby triumph

Chapter 20 : Rajpipla State post

Chapter 21 : The Gohil Rajput clan

Epilogue

Bibliography

Colour photo feature / Royal family of Rajpipla in modern times

Newspaper headlines after Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla’s horse Windsor Lad won the Epsom Derby of England in June 1934. Chapter 7 of Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘A Maharaja’s Turf’

The Star, Wednesday, June 6, 1934

WINDSOR LAD’S DERBY

Easton Second & The Favourite Third

A WOMAN’S PROPHESY

Maharaja’s Horse A Gallant Winner:

Colombo’s Fight To keep his Unbeaten Record

The Evening Standard, June 6, 1934

WINDSOR LAD’S DERBY

Nottingham Evening News, June 6, 1934

DERBY VICTORY FOR MAHARAJAH OF RAJPIPLA

Windsor Lad Wins in Great Race Home: Colombo Third

Leicester Evening Mail, June 6, 1934

WINDSOR LAD TRIUMPHS

IN THRILLING DERBY FINISH

Lincolnshire Echo. June 6, 1934

WINDSOR LAD EQUALS RECORD TIME

IN WINNING DERBY

Stafford Sentinel, June 6, 1934

WINDSOR LAD CARRIES OFF GREAT RACE.

KING AND QUEEN ACCORDED ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME

New York Evening Journal, June 6, 1934

WINDSOR LAD WINS DERBY

Bombay Sentinel, June 7, 1934

Indian Owner Wins Epsom Derby

Maharaja of Rajpipla Wildly Cheered By British Sportsmen

Windsor Lad Outstays Easton and Colombo At The Finish

The Times, June 7, 1934

WINSOR LAD’S VICTORY

RECORD EQUALLED

The Daily Mirror, June 7, 1934

INDIAN PRINCE WINS THE DERBY

Windsor Lad Equals Record

COLOMBO WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH

Manchester Dispatch, June 7, 1934

JOCKEY’S PART IN

WINDSOR LAD’S DERBY TRIUMPH

C. SMIRKE RIDES A BRILLIANT RACE

Birmingham Gazette, 7 June, 1934

LORD GLANELY’S FAVOURITE FAILS TO STAY

POPULAR SUCCESS OF WINDSOR LAD:

GORDON RICHARDS SECOND ON EASTON

Liverpool Post, June 7, 1934

THE DERBY WON BY AN INDIAN PRINCE

WINDSOR LAD EQUALS RECORD TIME

COLOMBO BEATEN AT LAST

GREAT OVATION FOR SUCCESSFUL OWNER

Cardiff Western Mail, June 7, 1934

Colombo, hottest Derby favourite since the War, disappointed

Daily Herald, June 7, 1934

SMIRKE RIDES CLEVERLY TO WIN

ON WINDSOR LAD

“Good Old Pip,” The Crowd Yelled

Windsor Lad Surprises Them All

“UNBEATABLE” FAVOURITE COULDN’T CATCH UP

The Daily Mirror, June 7, 1934

THE KING AND QUEEN SEE

WINDSOR LAD’S VICTORY

THRILLING TUSSLE AT TATTENHAM CORNER

EASTON FINISHES IN FRONT OF COLOMBO

Winner’s Time Equals Last Year’s Record

The Daily Telegraph, June 7, 1934

WINDSOR LAD EQUALS HYPERION’S RECORD IN THE DERBY

COLOMBO UNLUCKY AT VITAL STAGE OF RACE

Gordon Richards Second on Easton: Champion Jockey’s Great Day

The Sporting Life, June 7, 1934

WINDSOR LAD

EQUALS DERBY RECORD

Charles Smirke Rides Brilliantly

to Gain First Classic Success

COLOMBO UNLUCKY IN RUNNING

Manchester Dispatch, June 7, 1934

THE DERBY WHEEL OF FORTUNE

Manchester Dispatch, June 7, 1934

Stamina Pulls Windsor Lad Through

Manchester Dispatch, June 7, 1934

Winner Equals Time Record

Indian Maharaja’s success

The Sporting Life, June 7, 1934

“HE WILL WIN!” SAID

THE OWNER OF WINDSOR LAD …

The Morning Post, June 7, 1934

The Riddle of the Derby

WAS COLOMBO UNLUCKY?

Brilliant Victory of Windsor Lad

THE KING AND QUEEN AT THE RACE

The Morning Post, June 7, 1934

A TRIUMPH OF TRAINING

By WATCHMAN

Sheffield Independent, June 7, 1934

THOUSANDS CHEER AS “GOOD OLD PIP” LEADS IN DERBY WINNER

Maharaja’s Joy – But ‘Bookies’ Pay £1,500,000

Continental Dispatch, June 7, 1934

A GREAT EPSOM DERBY FOR WOMEN

Why They Backed Windsor Lad

THE GYPSY’S WARNING OF A WINNING “W”

Sheffield Independent, June 7, 1934

WINDSOR LAD WINS ON MERIT

BY “CORSAIR”

Liverpool Post, June 7, 1934

WINDSOR LAD AN EASY FIRST

Merited Winner of the Derby

COLOMBO FAILS IN STAMINA TEST

Daily Sketch, June 7, 1934 

COLOMBO’S FATAL BREATHER

AFTER A MILE

GIMCRACK’S SUGGESTION

The Times, June 7, 1934

THE KING AND QUEEN AT THE DERBY

RACEGOERS’ FASHIONS

Glasgow Bulletin, June 7, 1934

WINDSOR LAD’S £1,000,000 BILL FOR BOOKIES

250,000 Crowd See Hot Derby Favourite Well Beaten

The Sporting Life, June 7, 1934

Classic Lines in Windsor Lad’s Pedigree

STAMINA INHERITED FROM BRIDGE OF EARN

AND CARBINE

BY ITHURIEL

Nottingham Guardian, June 7, 1934

DERBY PROPHESY OF 1868 FULFILLED

CROWD CHEER “GOOD OLD PIP”

AFTER WINDSOR LAD’S WIN

BOOKMAKERS HARD HIT

News Chronicle, June 7, 1934

Windsor Lad Wins a Great Derby

A HAPPY “COMEBACK” FOR C. SMIRKE

By CAPTAIN HEATH

Daily Express, June 7, 1934

HOW COLOMBO LOST THE DERBY:

 ‘Unbeatable’ Horse Checked By ‘The Knight’s’ Failure 

TATTENHAM CORNER TANGLE

SMIRKE’S WIN AFTER 5-YEAR BAN

WINDSOR LAD “LIKE A MACHINE”

Yorkshire Post, June 7, 1934

WHAT THE JOCKEYS HAD TO SAY

C. Smirke Describes His First “Classic” Win

Daily Mail, June 7, 1934

THE FAVOURITE’S FAILURE

The New York Times, June 7, 1934

WINDSOR LAD TAKES DERBY BY A LENGTH

15-2 Shot Equals Record in Historic Race at Epsom by Beating Easton.

King and Queen of the Royal Family Among 5,00,000 Who View the Spectacle.

By FERDINAND KUHN JR.

Special Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES.

The Times of India, June 8, 1934

MAHARAJA OF RAJPIPLA WINS

BLUE RIBAND OF THE TURF

WINDSOR LAD’S GREAT RACE

FAVOURITE FAILS TO STAY

Thousands Cheer “Good Old Pip”: Owner Congratulated by King

WINNER ACHIEVES NEWMARKET-DERBY DOUBLE

The Daily Telegraph, June 8, 1934

DERBY WINNER & COLOMBO

A £4,000 TO £100 BET

By HOTSPUR

The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, June 8, 1934

What’s in a Number?

Windsor Express, June 8, 1934

WINDSOR LAD

Windsor Express, June 8, 1934

WINDSOR LAD WINS THE DERBY

Western Gazette, June 8, 1934

THE DERBY

THE FAVOURITE FAILS TO STAY

GIPSY’S PROPHESY FULFILLED

Greenoce Tele, June 9, 1934

The New-Style Derby

The Field, June 9, 1934

THE MAHARAJA OF RAJPIPLA’S DERBY

How Windsor Lad and Easton Beat the Favourite

Chester Guardian, June 9, 1934

REFLECTIONS ON THE DERBY

TRIUMPH OF WINDSOR LAD

BAD FOR THE BOOKIES

By THE VETERAN

Horse & Hound, June 9, 1934

The Derby and Things

Observer, June 10, 1934

COLOMBO’S DEFEAT

WAS THE JOCKEY TO BLAME?

Sunday Sportsman, June 10, 1934

THE DERBY

Sunday Dispatch, June 10, 1934

WHY COLOMBO FAILED AND HOW

By KEYSTONE

Sunday Dispatch, June 10, 1934

WHY I BACKED THE DERBY WINNER

By Lady Oxford

Sunday Chronicle, June 10, 1934

This Derby

“W” Plan

REYNOLD’S ILLUSTRATED NEWS, June 10, 1934 

Dublin Daily Mail, June 12, 1934

THE DERBY

Truth, June 13, 1934

COULD COLOMBO HAVE WON?

(Author Indra Vikram Singh, grandson of Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla, can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com. Follow Indra Vikram Singh on Twitter @IVRajpipla).

A Maharaja’s Turf

ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3

Published in India by Sporting Links

Fully Illustrated

Hardcover 8.75 x 11.5 x 0.6 inches (landscape)

140 Pages

MRP Rupees 1995




Indra Vikram Singh’s latest books published by Sporting Links:

A Maharaja’s Turf  ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket  ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3

Don’s Century  ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Crowning Glory  ISBN 978-81-901668-6-7

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