AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 471 



on a second horse counted for naught. Like many 

 others of his craft, he often had moderate mounts, hence 

 he was denounced as being a relic of the past. But 

 even to the close of his career John Osborne 

 gave proof that he was the equal for nerve, strength, 

 resolution, judgment, and skill of the yet living 

 jockeys who were unborn when he was rising 

 to fame. Fred Archer himself admitted that, if he 

 rode two or three losers in succession, he felt he was 

 not riding with so much dash and confidence in the 

 fourth race. Doubtless John Osborne would be 

 cognisant of the adverse criticisms which unfeeling 

 backers subjected him to in the closing period of his 

 public riding. John Day had borne the same cowardly 

 and unfeeling attacks upon his reputation as a trainer. 

 For some years prior to midway through the " sixties," 

 the days of Danebury had been darkened by the 

 shadows of adversity. Yet John Day was a master of 

 the art of training. His eyesight was becoming 

 impaired in his declining years, and his sycophantish 

 friends that had once favoured and flattered him were 

 now in his clouded days only too ready to decry the 

 old man. But the year of triumph came after fortune's 

 long and heartbreaking desertion. With bitterness of 

 tone he said, " I remember the black days when friends 

 were few. Yes, yes, but to-day, it's 'what wonderful 

 form John Day is in ! ' Yesterday, it was ' The old 

 fool can't see.' ' 



It will be interesting to John Osborne's legion of 

 friends in this the last year of the nineteenth century 

 to read the appended extract from the Spring Edition, 

 " Guide to the Turf, or Racing Companion for 1847, 

 by W. Ruff, Turf Reporter to the daily London papers, 

 and ' Bell's Life in London,' " published in 1847. 



