ASHGILL. 63 



that were so prevalent in his early days old 

 John Osborne was a household word. He dearly 

 loved .^oing the rounds of these small meetings, 

 running his horses for " t'brass," instead of gallop- 

 ping them to death at home, and gradually getting 

 them into form for some bigger event whilst they 

 were earning their hay and corn. He was a 

 capital judge of a racehorse, and understood the 

 art of trying and placing them thoroughly. The 

 stable was working its way steadily to the front 

 when his son John began to ride, and his skill 

 soon made it one of the leading stables in the 

 north. 



The present owner of Breckongill is one of the 

 oldest, if not the oldest, jockey at present riding ; 

 and it would not be too much to say that during 

 the forty years which he has devoted to the 

 exercise of his profession he has not made a single 

 enemy, His kindly disposition and genial 

 manners endear him to all who have the pleasure 

 of his acquaintance, and there is not a more 

 popular man on the Turf. He is a brilliant 

 but careful horseman, his knowledge of pace is 

 unsurpassed, and has been of immense value to 

 him in many a trial. 



His first winning mount in a big race was on 

 Mr. Disney's Bon Mot in the Liverpool Cup of 

 1849, when he rode 5st. and his bodily weight at 

 the time was little over four. For the Rev. Mr. 

 King, Sir Kobert Jardine and Mr. Vyner he has 



