AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 275 



for objection, and yet he most effectually prevented 

 Archer winning the race. Never was a jockey so 

 thoroughly paid with his own coin. " I do not think 

 Archer will ever take a liberty with ' George ' again," 

 said Fordham, as he dismounted. " Never was there 

 a fairer or more generous rider than Fordham," added 

 John Corlett, who related the above anecdote at the 

 time. In riding, he never even availed himself of the 

 advantages he was entitled to, nor could he ever be 

 induced to make an objection unless the case was most 

 outrageous. So much could not be said of Archer. 



Lord St. Vincent, between whom and Osborne, 

 after Lord Clifden's St. Leger, there remained a warm 

 friendship, died in 1879. Even Lord Clifden's St. 

 Leger thrown into the account, his lordship's career 

 on the Turf was only a comparative success. His 

 habits and disposition were incompatible with a sport 

 which, as was observed by a writer of the day, demands 

 clearness of vision, strength of purpose, and a soupgon 

 of selfishness. He was morbidly sensitive of any of his 

 acts being misrepresented. If any of his horses were 

 knocked about in the market, he would write to the 

 newspapers explaining the true state of affairs. Lord 

 Clifden was undoubtedly a good horse as a three-year- 

 old, and particularly so on the St. Leger day ; but his 

 Cup career was as much a failure as was the Turf 

 career of his noble owner. He dimmed the lustre of 

 his St. Leger before he finally retired from the Turf, 

 and when he was shown as a stallion at the Agricultural 

 Hall little notice was taken of him. Yet at the stud 

 he proved a success, second only to that of Stockwell. 

 No doubt the large sum of money for which Lord St. 

 Vincent backed his horse for the Grand Prix de Paris 

 was " cut up." 



York August Meeting of 1879 did not pass away 



