AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 137 



always thought it was a mistake, alleging that 

 it was not Blair Athol's correct form. I don't 

 think there was anv mistake about it. Of course, 

 The Miner was a good horse, but an unlucky 

 one. The Miner was fourth in the St. Leser won 

 by Blair Athol. The Miner had to make all his 

 own running in that instance, and he was a ver}^ 

 bad 'un at that. He was a horse that hung a 

 lot to the right at every bend he came to. You 

 had to hold him back to get round the bends 

 on a left-hand course like the St. Leger. That, 

 of course, was against him always, and did not 

 make his St. Lester as true a run race as it should 

 have been. When he was following he was all 

 right. I think Blair Athol was a good horse of 

 great speed. Whether he was a thorough good 

 stayer I don't know ; his speed got him through 

 his races. Of course, Blair Athol's was a good 

 year. After the Derby he ran for the Grand Prix, 

 and Vv^as beaten by Vermont. 



" Was it not a surprise to you when The 

 Miner beat Blair Athol ? 



"Well, it was no suq^rise to me. We had 

 tried The Miner in the spring, and he gave 

 3 St. to Little Duchess, who was a three-year-old 

 and something else in our stable at the time. 

 That was before the ' Two Thousand.' Before 

 Ascot he was tried at even weights with Gaily, 

 Avho had won the Lincoln Handicap, and he beat 

 her all the way. He was tried before his race 

 with Blair Athol, with Cathedral, Dr. Rooke, 

 Prince Arthur, and others in it. It was over a 

 mile and three quarters, and he won by ten 

 lengths. Blair Athol, you may depend upon it. 



