AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 353 



gave it a character that cannot be reproduced in black 

 and white. 



Now, reverting for a few moments to the Northum- 

 berland Plate of '86, Stone Clink and Nightcap, both 

 though trained at Ashgill, belonged to totally different 

 owners. We can quite believe that, though they did 

 strong gallops together prior to the race, it was only 

 from impressions and not from an actual trial that 

 WilUam Osborne preferred Nightcap's chance. That 

 they both ran on their merits need not for a moment 

 be canvassed. The fact is only stated to show the 

 honesty that marked the brothers Osborne as trainers.. 

 Many a time and oft v/e have seen John Osborne as 

 master and " Billy " Piatt as head lad riding like demons 

 against each other in a paltry selling plate, and the 

 young 'un beating the old 'un. The narrow-minded 

 will ask, " But was that policy ? " No, in a certain sense, 

 it was not ; but 'twas honesty, which is always the best 

 of policy. And that was the guiding principle of 

 Ashgill, of John, and Wilham, and Robert Osborne, 

 three earnest, humble, and honest workers in the lot 

 and channel in which Fortune had placed them. We 

 are no great admirers of successful men, as the term 

 " success " is often accepted. Rather do we beheve in 

 quiet, unobtrusive, meritorious workers, who only too 

 often are thrust aside by ostentation and shallow -pated 

 effronter}^ 



Stone Chnk, by Speculimi out of Stone Chat, was 

 bred by Mr. Robert Vyner, and sent by him to Ashgill 

 as a two-year-old in '84. Out of nine essays that season 

 she won twice. She was heavily engaged the next 

 season, and in her sixteen races she w^as six times 

 successful, viz., in the Blankney Stakes at Lincoln, the 

 Biennial at Gosforth, the Durham Handicap, the 

 2a 



