250 



ASHGILL; OR, THE LIFE 



"Atlantic was voted the gentleman of the lot of 

 thirteen that emerged from the paddock, headed by 

 Volturno, and the two French horses, Feu d' Amour and 

 Boulet. Atlantic looked wonderfully fit, and so, indeed, 

 did Leolinus and Trent; and Sir Richard Bulkeley's 

 colt divided many suffrages with Lord Falmouth's. Feu 

 d' Amour, who had Custance on him, was as narrow as 

 a rail, but when extended his action left little to be 

 desired. The best movers, though, were Atlantic and 

 Trent; and the latter, as was generally anticipated, 

 skipped over the hard ground like a bird. There was 

 one break-away, which would have been a start but for 

 Boulet (it was then the rash bookmaker offered 10 to 1),, 

 and when Mr. M'George did lower his flag, John 

 Osborne and Apology were nearly in the same position 

 as when the former rode Lord Clifden in the Leger of 

 '63. As they swept up the hill out of sight, with Boulet 

 making the running and Atlantic going like great guns, 

 Johnnie Osborne was still in the rear, but when they 

 could be seen again he had brought the mare through 

 her horses, and at the Rifle Butts, where Atlantic was. 

 seen to compound (he had broken a blood vessel going 

 up the hill), Apology w r as in the first four. At the Red 

 House she was with the leaders, at the bend she was 

 in front and it was all over. Amidst tremendous 

 cheering, and a scene of wild excitement, she headed 

 Leolinus easily and won without an effort by a length, 

 and a half. 



" Such enthusiasm and we have seen a great deal 

 on the Town Moor was never before exhibited in 

 our recollection. The cheering was renewed again and 

 again as Osborne rode the good mare back to the 

 paddock; it swelled to a louder volume when the 'all 

 right ' was pronounced, and we really thought it never 



