AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 117 



and where the boy attempted to "cooper" Lord 

 Clifden by digging holes in the turf, injury to 

 the St. Leger winner being happily frustrated by 

 timely discovery of the nefarious design of the youth- 

 ful recreant; thence on to Findon, where W. Goater 

 was in command; by Worthing, where in yet earlier 

 days old John Day galloped Virago for Mr. " Howard," 

 the line would sweep westward to find other bright 

 places of the period, where the high-mettled racer found 

 a habitation and created a name. 



In Hampshire and Wiltshire a little squadron 

 deploys in view. In this region H. Goater, near 

 Winchester, was the trusted lieutenant of Lord 

 Palmerston. John Day's rule at Stockbridge, and 

 William Day's towards Salisbury, recalled the times 

 when the former stable won two Derbies running, 

 and were first and third for another; and when 

 the latter appropriated the Chester Cup, the Cesare- 

 witch, and other big plums of the calendar. Passing 

 Woolcot's, still near Salisbury, away in a northerly 

 direction to Kingsclere, memories recalled the lucky 

 Sir Joseph, who owed the victories of Beadsman and 

 Musjid, and still later of Asteroid, to the care and 

 attention of Manning. At Lambourne Mr. Saxon's 

 horses were trained in the same neighbourhood as the 

 great Russley string, from which that " darling of the 

 public," Thormanby, came forth to win the Derby, 

 Buckstone still further adding lustre to its high renown 

 as a home of great horses. A near neighbour was 

 Ilsley, and here Lords Stamford and Strathmore main- 

 tained considerable studs. Wantage also comes under 

 the coup d'ceil as the resting-place of Thomas Parr, 

 with memories of grand old Fisherman and Rataplan 

 aroused. 



