388 ASHGILL; OR, THE LIFE 



" Paddy " would say after telling the tale, " I thought 

 I would have dropped into the earth when I saw it 

 was the honourable 'Jim' himself that was spakin' to 

 me." Needless to say that " Drissy " was not reported 

 to the Jockey Club for not running straight in the 

 Home Eule Stakes. 



William Sanderson, the Malton trainer, relates 



the following anecdote illustrative of Osborne being 



" asleep and awake." A few years ago he was riding 



Ebor, a horse that belonged to Mr. Marshall, in 



a handicap at Pontefract. This was one of 



Sanderson's "good things," and with a master like 



John in the saddle, he was still more sanguine of 



taking the race. Sanderson himself had backed 



the horse well, and very probably Mr. Marshall 



had speculated to win for a fair stake. Before going 



to the post Sanderson, in giving final instructions as 



to how the jockey had to ride Ebor, said, " Now, John, 



you can go to sleep and waken up when you are near 



the winning post." Mr. Marshall, overhearing these 



instructions, inquired of Sanderson, " What sort of 



orders are these you are giving ? " " Never mind," 



replied Sanderson, " I think John will understand." 



The trainer and owner went on to the stand to look 



at the race, and when the field had got half-way Mr. 



Marshall said, " I can't see Ebor anywhere, Sanderson." 



'' Yes," rejoins Sanderson, " I can see the ' hoops ' at 



the tail of the field." On they came to the distance, 



and Mr. Marshall, still anxious, inquired, " How are 



they going now? I can't see Ebor; I'm afraid we 



are out of it, and that John has gone to sleep." " We'll 



win," says Sanderson. " We haven't a 100 to 1 chance," 



rejoins the owner. Inside the distance " Johnnie," who 



had faithfully obeyed orders to " fall asleep until near 



