The game was invented by E. St Clair and marketed by Jaques & Son Ltd as 'Minoru' in December, 1909- named after King Edward VII's horse which famously won the Epsom Derby in that year. This game is a further development of Jaques's "Ascot" (1891), but the horses are moved by the turn of a card, rather than cords.
It’s likely that Jaques teamed up with Chad Valley, following the success of Escalado in the 1920s. This 'snakeskin' version is possibly a 'wartime' edition from the First World War period, or the years immediately following. The ‘Double Event’ refers to the rolled board, which can be turned over and played on either side.