AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 33 



before Bee's-wing beat him a head for the Cup at 

 Stockton. Gipsy Queen, by Dr. Syntax, ran five times 

 as a two-year-old, and was second on each occasion, 

 one of her victors being Attila, who won the Derby the 

 following year, a fact which goes to prove that the 

 then young trainer was tackling good class horses. 



The following version of the Dawsons' career at 

 Middleham is given from the present John Osborne's 

 lips in 1897: — 



" In 1840, Matthew Dawson travelled a 

 three-year-old of Lord Eglinton's, called Path- 

 finder, from Gullane in Scotland to Catterick 

 Bridge, and won a match with him there against 

 Mr, Meiklam's Remedy. After that race 

 Matthew Dawson came on to Middleham, stayed 

 with his brother Thomas Dawson, then training 

 at Brecongill, for a short time, and took Path- 

 finder on to Epsom to run for the Derby won 

 by Little Wonder. Matthew Dawson had an 

 idea of winning the Derby with Pathfinder, but 

 Thomas told him he would have to find some- 

 thing better, adding, as Matthew took the colt 

 from Middleham, so the story is told, ' There 

 goes cocky little Mat to win the Derby.' 

 Thomas Dawson came to Middleham about 1831 

 or 1832. He was certainly training at Brecongill 

 in 1832, succeeding Mr. Mangles in the occu- 

 pation of the place. One of the first horses Mr. 

 Dawson trained here was Orangeman, half 

 owned by my father. The horse was bred by 

 my grandfather, Mr. Arrowsmith of Brompton- 

 on-Swale. ' Mr. Thomas ' soon had a big stud 

 at Brecongill, Lord Eghnton being one of the 

 first patrons, along with Mr. Meiklam and Mr. 



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