336 



ashgill; or, the life 



the incident was another proof of the fact that when 

 once he had won a race he rarely lost it. 



Few who witnessed two memorable struggles 

 between Archer and Osborne at the Liverpool July 

 Meeting of 1884 will ever forget the excitement that 

 prevailed. Which was the greatest horseman of John 

 Osborne's time is a difficult problem to solve. Archer, 

 perhaps — and one speaks with bated breath when the 

 deeds of Fordham, of Aldcroft, Wells, T. Cannon, and 

 Webb troop before the camera obscura of memory — 

 was the most brilliant and unquestionably the most 

 successful. But whether he was absolutely the greatest 

 of his craft is a question as difficult to determine as the 

 problem of which is or was the greatest horse of the 

 century. Yet great as was the lustre of Archer's 

 renown, we now come to a race between him and our 

 hero which clearly demonstrates that " The Tinman " 

 could not give " The Pusher " an ounce on equal horses. 

 And in making a comparison between the twain, it 

 must always be borne in mind that Osborne, although 

 many years longer a professional than Archer, by reason 

 of his love for Middleham and the old home, never 

 enjoyed the choice of mounts which fell to the lot of 

 the younger man, nor, indeed, was he associated v^th 

 so many wealthy owners and powerful stables. 



Now for the Liverpool episode — 



LIVERPOOL, Wednesday, 9th July, 1884. 



All- Aged Plate of 100 guineas ; five furlongs. 



General 0. Williams' Black Diamond, 3 yrs., 9 st. 3 lb., . F. Archer 1 

 Mr. Wadlow's Frolic, 4 yrs. 9 st. 12 lb., . . . .J. Osborne 2 

 Mr. Andrew's Panton, 2 yrs., 7 st. 7 lb., .... White 3 



Betting— Evens Black Diamond, 11 to 10 (at first evens) against Frolic, 20 to 1 

 against Panton. 



Black Diamond jumped off in front, and, holding the lead throughout, won by 

 •a length ; a bad third ; the winner was sold to Mr. Martin for 100 guineas. 



