Spooky note from 1964 urged a construction worker to bet on a 'Santa Claus' horse. So he did

Construction workers working on a restoration project at Crystal Palace Park in South London discovered a note written in 1964 that turned out to be prophetic. Craciun Marius Dorin, a contractor, was the one who found the note along with four gold coins on April 15. It was under the bust of Sir Joseph Paxton, a Victorian designer who helped build the Crystal Palace, as per The Guardian. However, it was Josh Smalls, the construction site manager, who took the advice literally and won the Epsom Derby on June 6, 2026. 

Christmas Day

In the handwritten note, the writer explained that the four coins were earnings from an Epsom Derby back in 1964. They had bet on a horse named Santa Claus, and advised anyone who found the note in the future to bet on a horse with a name that "can in some way be associated with 'Santa Claus.'" Smalls' uncle was a trainer, and the note genuinely excited and interested him, as per The Sun UK.

He had gone through the previous years' rosters and could not find a name connected to the holiday season. However, this year, a horse named Christmas Day was racing in the derby. He told the BBC, "It was very exciting. I was like a child on Christmas Day. To find a piece of history like that — and for it to link up so well with the horse this year — it was kind of spooky." 

Christmas connections

Smalls bet £20 ($26.82) on Christmas Day, and Christine Harris, the Mayor of Bromley, also threw in £15 ($20.12). Surprisingly, the prediction came through, and won Smalls £140 ($187.75) profit. Harris gave away the winnings to two charities — Madlani Cancer Support and the Dyslexia Association of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, and Lewisham, but there was more to the story. Dorin, the man who found the note, revealed another Christmas-themed connection. "I’m Romanian, and Craciun in Romanian actually means Christmas. Isn’t that crazy?" he said.

Science or luck?

People who are serious about betting often do a bit of research before making a bet. However, a lot depends on intuition and luck. While not specific to derbies, a poll conducted by the Siena Research Institute (SRI) on 3,084 people across the country revealed why people make bets. 92% bet because it was entertaining, while 89% claimed that it made watching the game more fun. 85% made bets because they thought they could make extra money. In contrast to Josh Smalls' story, there was no research involved. He simply followed a 62-year-old piece of advice from someone who made a bet and won.

For those curious about the exact message written in the note, the Crystal Palace Trust transcribed it. It reads, "These coins were planted in the year that ‘Santa Claus’ won the Derby. When unearthed, the monetary value should be laid on a horse in the Derby who’s name can be in some way be associated with 'Santa Claus'. (And the best of British luck). P. Wright Paterson."

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