AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 335 



occasions that th&y battled out a close finish, thus 

 affording fine examples of sterling honesty, which rose 

 above what might be considered the influence of pre- 

 ference for the interests of their own stable. Looking 

 ahead for a moment, a notable case of this kind 

 happened at Richmond on 5th August, 1887, Piatt 

 riding Mr. Gladstone's Endowment, trained at Ashgill, 

 and John steering Mr. R. Osborne's Greg, odds of 2 to 

 1 being laid on the latter, the servant beating the 

 master in a grand finish by a neck. One of the finest 

 races ever seen on Richmond Moor took place at this 

 very meeting. The race was Her Majesty's Plate, two 

 miles. There were but two runners, John riding Stone 

 Clink, and Jim Pagan, Selby. The same animals had 

 met in the Northumberland Plate the previous year, 

 when the mare, conceding 13 lbs., beat Selby, who was 

 a great " pot " from Plighfield (and one that Wm. 

 I'Anson looked upon as a " moral certainty "), by a 

 head. They now met as five-year-olds in this Queen's 

 Plate at Richmond at even weights, interest in their 

 meeting being augmented by the fact that Selby had 

 won the Ebor Handicap, while Stone Clink had added 

 a Cesarewitch to her Northumberland Plate victory 

 of '86, Excitement ran high when Pagan, at the 

 distance, got up to the mare, being almost on even 

 terms fifty yards from the chair. This was due to 

 Osborne having eased her up under the impression that 

 he had got rid of the Highfield horse. That impression 

 was soon dispelled, for the veteran had to sit down and 

 ride in the most determined manner in the last few 

 strides. The instant Stone Clink was called upon she 

 responded, and won in the most gallant fashion by the 

 aforesaid head. This was one of the instances in which 

 Master " John " was almost " caught napping," yet his 

 effort at recovery was really brilUant to witness, while 



