AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 



419 



Osborne's comment on the performance was, "Wild 

 Dayrell nearly lost us." The rehearsal was the fore- 

 runner of Wild Dayrell's easy triumph at Epsom. As 

 proving how good Wild Dayrell was, Gamelad, who was 

 sent back to AshgiU, ran Saacebox, winner of the St. 

 Leger, to half a length at even weights, and to a neck 

 at 5 lbs. Analysing this performance of Gamelad's as 

 against Saacebox, it would appear that Wild Dayrell 

 was 2 St. better than the St. Leger hero. Wild Dayrell's 

 great trial greatly impressed Robert Osborne, and 

 throughout his career as a breeder, he always had an 

 affection for the Wild Dayrell blood. 



Legion is the number of John Osborne's friends at 

 home and abroad, while myriads who have not seen him 

 in the flesh yet know him by reputation. In the com- 

 pilation of this book our plan has been to butt-end 

 him with questions. Possibly the hypercritical reader 

 may not appreciate the somewhat disconnected form 

 of the story. It were hardly possible, however, to avoid 

 taking a leap forward, only to retrace our steps, then 

 picking up the Hne here and there as occasion required. 

 If the recital be somewhat broken occasionally, it may 

 be counted upon that here and there a fact or an 

 incident may crop up that wiU interest in an unexpected 

 way. The dry-as-dust style may be acceptable to the 

 lover of essays. That mode of proceeding has been 

 avoided hitherto as much as was deemed judicious, and 

 in reproducing some of our hero's running comments 

 and opinions on men, of horses and their characteristics, 

 the motto — 



" The moral of our tale is this — 

 Variety's the soul of bliss," 



has been acted upon. In the hope this policy may not 

 weary those who may dip into this " plain, unvarnished 



