AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 329 



after her two-year-old season. Her temper was 

 spoilt through getting into a collision at Good- 

 wood. Three of my father's horses were coming 

 up the straight mile and three horses belonging 

 to Mr. Death, of Ascot, were cantering down 

 from the stand — they met and came into 

 collision, and that accident spoilt Exact's temper. 

 She would not pass up the left-hand side of a 

 horse for nearly a year after — never till the latter 

 end of the year. 



" What makes you think her the best you ever 

 rode? 



"Because she could win her trials as she 

 liked. We never knew what she could do at 

 home. She could give 3 st. to Audubon, and 

 beat him in a canter at any distance. After her 

 two-year-old career my father sold her to Mr. 

 Merry, the Scotch ironmaster. William Day 

 had her in training the following year when she 

 won at Chester; and she beat Torment, a good 

 mare belonging to Mr. Greville, at York. 

 Eventually she went into Mr. Blenkiron's stud. 

 She threw one useful mare by Kingston, but she 

 was, in a manner, a failure at the stud consider- 

 ing what a good mare she was and how finely 

 bred. 



" It is difficult to form a correct opinion as 

 to what was the best. There is no trustworthy 

 means of ascertaining the truth on the point. 

 There are good years and bad years. No doubt, 

 coming to modern times, such horses as Bar- 

 caldine, Isonomy, Ormonde, and Isinglass were 

 well worthy of being considered great horses. 

 If we go back to 1852, there were some nailers 



