AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 255 



■mile -when Holy Friar headed Galopin, the pair being hunted by Per Se, with 

 Plebeian, Punch, Fakenham Ghost, and Balfe in close attendance till rising the 

 Bushes Hill when Holy Friar was joined by Per Se, Galopin, and Balfe, amongst 

 whom a most exciting race ensued, Plebeian ultimately winning by a head 

 from Per Se, who beat Galopin a like distance for second place, close up with 

 Galopin being Holy Friar who was fourth, Balfe fifth, Chaplet sixth. Punch 

 seventh. Horse Chestnut eighth. Stray Shot nioth, the last two being Chester 

 and Chartist. The winner was objected to on the gi'ound of a jostle, l)ut the 

 objection was overruled by the Stewards and the race awarded to Plebeian. 

 Time of the race, 1 min. 25 sees. 



A grander lot of two-year-olds than the twenty-four 

 which constituted the above race most probably had 

 never before been seen in any two-year-old event, and 

 certainly never since ; nor, indeed, was there ever a more 

 splencUd finish. After it was over Achiiiral Rous 

 'enthusiastically exclaimed, " As long as I hve this race 

 shall not be done away with ! " this resolve of the " old 

 ■Salt's " coming as a counterblast to the efforts previously 

 made to strike it out of the calendar. It was computed 

 that some of the runners were backed to win £80,000, 

 and probably never was there a Middle Park Plate on 

 w^hich so much money was betted. Between the first 

 ;iive horses, viz.. Plebeian, Per Se, Galopin, Holy Friar, 

 •and Balfe there was not half a length, and four of 

 them were nearly running a dead heat. In writing of 

 the race at the time, Mr. John Corlett expressed the 

 ^opinion that although Plebeian had a head the best of 

 it, he had no doubt Per Se ought to have won. Not 

 only did Plebeian drive her on to Galopin, but the pair 

 had her so close between them that Cannon couldn't 

 use his whip. That there would be an objection every 

 one who saw the race was prepared to hear. As 

 Admiral Ecus and Mr. Chaphn had both backed Per 

 Se, Lord Falmouth, the only steward, called in Sir 

 John Astley and Mr. Crawfurd to assist him in 

 iadjudicating on the matter. The case was not heard 



