AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 187 



" So much for the ' bad Derby book ' having led to 

 the calamity. After hearing the evidence, the jury 

 very charitably, and as we think very truthfully, came to 

 the conclusion that he ' committed suicide whilst in a 

 state of unsound mind.' ' 



Poor old Dr. Shorthouse, in his endeavour to solve 

 " the Derby problem " of '69, clearly demonstrated that 

 a man is a fool to prophesy unless he knows. Speaking 

 of the Adventurer colt's Derby prospects, he said 

 ' Then there is that pretentious gentleman, Pretender. 

 Well, if there be any truth at all in form, this horse 

 is vastly overrated. We had the opportunity of taking 

 his measure, and we did so to an inch and an ounce. 

 The conclusion at which we arrived was that he was 

 not within pounds and pounds of Belladrum. We will 

 confine ourselves within reasonable limits and say that 

 he is not within a stone of the form shown by 

 Belladrum; therefore what chance can there be of his 

 carrying off the Blue Riband so long as Mr. Merry's 

 colt keeps well? . . . He also suffers from the 

 disadvantage of having an old mare (twenty -two years) 

 for his mother." 



Settling down to our line once more, let the reader 

 understand that Pretender, after his fine performance 

 in the Middle Park Plate behind Pero Gomez, did not 

 have that good colt to oppose him in the Two Thousand 

 of '69, which is now to be dealt with. Tom Dawson 

 gave the Tupgill champion a rattling preparation 

 throughout the early spring, and John Osborne was 

 engaged to ride him in the first of the " classics." The 

 colt arrived at Newmarket fit and well for the fray. 

 At the " Rooms " overnight Martyrdom, who was 

 Fordham's mount, came with a great rush in the prices 

 current, threatening at one time to supersede Duke of 



