AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 37 



returned to Ashgill in 1842, thereafter devoting 

 his sole attention to his own stud, which had 

 been looked after in his absence by William 

 Marson, a brother of Job Marson, who trained 

 the celebrated ' Beverley ' Nancy and a number 

 of other good animals. Nothing of note came out 

 of the stable in 1843-44 beyond Lady Milton, 

 Sloane by Slane, Brandy Face (winner of a few 

 races), and Betsy Bird (a useful plater). In 1844 

 Staley gained a few brackets to help to pay the 

 corn bills, only to break down in the Chester 

 Cup so badly that great difficulty was experi- 

 enced in getting him home again. The Irish- 

 bred Cranbrook was the pick of the stable in 

 1845 and 1846. Owned by an Irish sportsman 

 named Mr. Stewart, Cranbrook won the Great 

 Yorkshire Handicap, and was fifth in the Cesare- 

 witch, Dialect beating him in a handicap across 

 the flat the same week, a large field starting. 

 In 1846 Comme il Faut proved herself a smart 

 little 'un for the rising stable." 

 High prices for young stock are by no means a trust- 

 worthy guide to the winning post or to success in 

 breeding. " Old " Agnes and her foal, as we shall see, 

 cost old John Osborne but 20 guineas. An instance 

 of a cheap purchase and good results was that of Little 

 Wonder, winner of the Derby of 1840. This extra- 

 ordinary " little pony," bred in 1837 by Mr. Nowell of 

 Underley, got by Muley out of Lacerta by Zodiac, was 

 purchased by Mr. Eobertson of Ladybank, near 

 Berwick-on-Tweed, out of the Underley yearlings for 

 65 guineas. One more case of a cheap Derby winner was 

 that of Spaniel, who won in 1831. It is related of this 

 stout son of Whalebone, from a Canopus mare, that one 



