264 



ASHGILL; OR, THE LIFE 



the opinion, which filtered into old John Osborne's ears, 

 that Manganese was only half-trained, and in that 

 behef he gave orders to his jockey to "cut her down 

 with a strong pace from pillar to post." But little did 

 the Danebury trainer know what a nailer they had 

 from the yet humble Ashgill stable. " Cut her doon ! " 

 exclaimed old John Osborne — " Out her doon, did he 

 say? We'll see aboot cuttin' doon. Noo, Johnnie, my 

 son, they want a pace; let 'em have one, and mind 

 w^hat aw tell thee," was old John's orders to Johnnie 

 as he sallied from the Birdcage on the parson's filly. 

 Full well were the orders carried out, for Manganese 

 had the Danebury filly sobbing at the distance, and she 

 won " Johnnie " his first classic by half a length. Her 

 One Thousand and Portland Plate victories were her 

 best performances, and finding that she was deterior- 

 ating as a racer, her career on the flat ended in 1858, 

 when she began her matronly duties at Ashby. Her 

 alliance with Rataplan brought the chestnut Mandra- 

 gora in 1860 — a small-sized, but " mouldy " filly, who 

 never realised the expectations that were pardonably 

 entertained of one of such high lineage. Her trial as a 

 two-year-old proved her worthless for racing, a like 

 disappointment resulting from her trial in the spring 

 as a three-year-old. Mr. King had almost made up his 

 mind to part with her for £30. On the recommendation 

 of old John Osborne, she was put to Weatherbit (owned 

 by " Old Jolm "), who was doing service at Mr. Jaques' 

 at Easby Abbey, and Mandrake at once established 

 Mandragora's value as a brood mare. 



Manganese's best at the stud were The Miner, by 

 Rataplan; and his sister. Minaret, the latter proving 

 herself a smart two-year-old, but training off she went 

 early to the stud, her best being Mintdrop, the dam of 



