420 ASHGILL; OR, THE LIFE 



tale," we reproduce one of the few hours' converse we 

 had with Osborne in his quiet home at Brecongill in 

 the spring of 1900. John loquitur 



" Harking back a long time, in the old days 

 we used to walk our horses to the meetings. 

 For instance, from Middleham here to 

 Newcastle-on-Tyne was a good stretch by road. 

 You could either go by Darlington, or Pierse- 

 bridge, or Scotch Corner way. We would start 

 after breakfast, and the first stop would be at 

 Boroughbridge about twenty-five miles. Our 

 second stop would be at Chester-le-Street, 

 arriving at Newcastle on the third day. My 

 father often used to ride on his hack with the 

 horses to Newmarket and the South. In those 

 days you could run a horse for a saddle at a 

 small meeting, and the next you could start him 

 in the Chester Cup if you liked. 



"Now about Tommy Lye he died some 

 time about '66, at Middleham here. He was 

 considered a good judge of pace, and always 

 rode very short. Often enough I have ridden in 

 races against him, and he told me at different 

 times that Muley Moloch was the best horse he 

 ever rode. A big horse was Muley Moloch, 

 standing about 16*3. Alice Hawthorn was by 

 Muley Moloch, you know. 



'Talking about prominent jockeys of the 

 past, it is hard to say which was the best in my 

 time. Now, as to Archer and Fordham, they 

 had quite different styles of riding. You never 

 knew you were done with Fordham until you 

 got past the post. You ask about my family. 

 Well, I've had ten of them. John is the eldest. 



