AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 309 



travelling lad for John Scott, and both Lord Glasgow 

 and Aldcroft he knew well. He said — 



" Yes, I can remember Lord Glasgow taking 

 the whole of his horses away from John Scott. 

 But of all the storms of temper he showed I never 

 saw him in a worse one than when General Peel 

 was beaten after his dead heat with Ely at Ascot. 

 After the dead heat I took General Peel back 

 to the stable, which was close to the stand. Lord 

 Glasgow came to the stable and saw the horse 

 dressed and made ready for the deciding heat. 

 The horse was the picture of health, and he was 

 sent out to run the dead heat as clean as a new 

 pin, and as fresh as if he had never had a gallop. 

 But he cut up the biggest coward in the decider 

 that ever was saddled in the ring; he tried to 

 do everything but win, and would have run into 

 the ring if he could have got in. Lord Glasgow 

 broke into a towering rage, and his language was 

 ' beautiful ' when we took the ' General ' back to 

 his quarters. Nor was John Scott himself ever 

 more disappointed at the horse's cowardly 

 display in the race." 

 How much Aldcroft had been wronged the above 

 evidence will attest. Aldcroft got more out of General 

 Peel than any other jockey. Behind him in the Derby 

 won by Blair Athol were such good animals as Scottish 

 Chief, Cambuscan, and Ely, each of whom he beat 

 decisively. In the St. Leger Scottish Chief did not run, 

 and it was as much as Wells could do to get " The 

 General " in front of Cambuscan, who beat him after- 

 wards in a match. Aldcroft about this period was a 

 most handsome fellow. He will be remembered as 

 having a ruddy, open face, and well chiseled features, 



