AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 159 



■^' The London and North-Western Boiling Stakes ' vrere 

 the best he ever won. The millionaire Marquis fondly 

 hoped on for the Derby, but although the illustrious 

 patient did not win that race, in the process of years it 

 fell with Caractacus to the young Rugby V.S. (Mr. 

 Snewing) who attended him. 



" Such was poor John's Eaton episode with the 



Derby, and he did not care for another season as 



guardian of the yellow jacket, which was enough to 



give him the jaundice. Maria Day, a very sweet little 



;animal, and Job Marson very nearly put things right at 



Doncaster, but ' The Yeoman ' was in the way, and John 



w^as not sorry to have liis crust of bread and liberty 



and begin at the bottom rung of the ladder of fame once 



more. The Heir, by Inheritor, was one of his horses, 



but his was a sad, weary time ; although with George 



Abdale, his future son-in-law, to ride, he did a httle 



for his employers and on his own account, till his son 



and heir, the redoubtable ' Johnnie,' appeared in the 



saddle. We remember the old man quite opening out 



(for him) in the train one day about his lad, and his 



delight that Sir Joseph had engaged him to ride at 



5 St. 6 lbs. on Van Dieman in the Goodwood Stakes. 



The next year (1850) brought the great turn in his family 



fortunes with Black Doctor. The Httle horse ran four 



times and did nothing, and then he began to ' come,' 



and lost his maidenhood in that great Eghnton finish, 



which he won by a neck from Beehunter and Nancy, 



and had Neashan, Payment, Pitsford, and Mildew 



behind him as well. The black went in the course of 



the week to Mr. Saxon for 800 guineas, and henceforth 



the star of Osborne and Ashgill steadily rose. John 



was marked dangerous for his two-year-olds, and his 



great axiom, ' if they are to be sweated, let them sweat ' 



