AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 429 



degeneration in the stoutness of the modem race- 

 horse ; really, I cannot point to the cause of it." 



Osborne's firmly expressed belief in action as a 

 primal attribute in the horse recalls the story of a 

 dignitary of the Church — a reputed good judge. When 

 asked what he considered the first point in a horse, 

 " Action," was the reply. " And what do you consider 

 the second best point ? " " Action," again was the reply. 

 "And the third best?" "Action!'' thundered the 

 prelate, with greater emphasis than ever on the word. 



As bearing upon the views of Osborne, it may be 

 interesting to repeat the following interview with. 

 Charles Lund, the Malton trainer. The extract is taken 

 from some notes we published in 1899, entitled 

 " Amongst the Yorkshire Trainers." It runs as 

 follows : — 



Thovigh by no means an old trainer, being just better than half-way 

 through the "fifties," Charles Lund's memories of racing trace back 

 more than forty years. On the occasion of my visit to Spring Cottage 

 it happened to be his birthday, and after the levee in the stables, the 

 invitation to place my feet under his mahogany was irresistible. I 

 reminded him that John Osborne's birthday was the following day, 

 January 7th, and that the veteran would then be entering into his 

 sixty-sixth year, or some ten years older than my host. " A wonderful 

 man is old John Osborne," exclaims Lund, "and a credit to his profession 

 in all ways of life. We have lived together at Goodwood, York, 

 Gosforth, in fact all over the country, and a more sensible or a more 

 temperate man it would be impossible to meet. I had forgotten all 

 about this being my birthday, and we must celebrate it in some sort of 

 way." So, after hmch, for which the fresh wolds air had excited a 

 keen appetite, we cracked about old times over a bottle of " tawny " 

 from the Whitewall bin that had come into my host's possession at the 

 sale. Many subjects were interspersed in the " crack " that ensued, and 

 an interesting three hours speedily passed away. Comparing the past 

 with the present, Lund remarked, " Present-day training is quite 

 different to what it was when I was a boy under old John Scott. 

 Joseph Dawson was the first trainer to begin getting two-year-olds 



