212 THE MERRY GEE-GEE 



Bendigo would have won the Cambridge- 

 shire the year Gloriation was first, right 

 enough, if Johnny Osborne had come 

 sooner. I was standing on the top 

 ground just where his jockey asked 

 him the question, and he shot out 

 like a bullet, but it was too late. People 

 said unkind things of Osborne because 

 he trained the winner, but he's as 

 honest as the day — simply committed an 

 error of judgment, that's all. Bendigo 

 wanted the great little Tod up. I place 

 Bendigo as the greatest handicap horse 

 I have known, as, although Minting was 

 undeniable at medium distances, I question 

 his ability to have got the Cesarewitch 

 course as Bendigo did ; and I class the 

 latter's performance, when he ran second 

 to Humewood, conceding stones, as quite 

 one of the best on record, independent 

 of his winning record as a miler. If 



