84 ASHGILL. 



had won, and there was a moment's suspense 

 until the number was^hoisted, and then a rush 

 was made to congratulate ' Johnny ' on the first- 

 class^performance of his horse. 



Perhaps his best^performance, however, was in 

 the Steward's Cup at Stockton in 1876, where he 

 gave Madge Wildfire 3 stones, and beat her by a 

 short head. It was a magnificent race, and never 

 did Osborne ride more brilliantly than hel did 

 that day. He rode with the most exemplary 

 patience, as the crushing weight of lOst. 7lb. 

 compelled him to do, and then came with one of 

 those tremendous rushes of his, and snatched 

 victory out of the jaws of defeat on the post. 

 His ridinof of Bendisfo in the Cambridofeshire~of 

 1887 reminded us;very much of that race, and 

 had he not been rather interfered with there is 

 little doubt "^that Bendigo would have won on the 

 post as Thorn did. Thorn's last race injl876 was 

 for the Liverpool Autumn' Handicap, in which 

 he carried 9st/3lb., but could get no further uji 

 than fourth to Lord Wilton's Footstep, who was 

 carrying 5st. 13lb. 



The Queen's Plate at Pichmond was the last 

 race he won, and he]carried the orange and black 

 hoops for the last time in the' Doncaster Cup, 

 where he ran third to Hampton and Chester- 

 ton. 



Shortly after tliis ho broke his thigh at exercise, 

 and a serious loss it was to Mr. Batt, for so well. 



