THE CAREER OF ORMONDE 



The year 1885 was a memorable one in the 

 history of Kingsclere, for it was that in which 

 Ormonde made his first appearance on the Turf. 

 I have already expressed the opinion that this 

 son of Bend Or and Lily Agnes was the greatest 

 horse I have ever known. There are some of 

 my contemporaries who think St. Simon was his 

 superior. As there is no means of proving 

 which of the two estimates is the correct one, 

 we must agree to differ. In any case, there is 

 unanimity on one point—both were wonderful 

 animals. 



I am anxious to honour the memory of 

 Ormonde by relating the story of his career in 

 the fullest possible detail, so that future genera- 

 tions may be able to understand why he gained 

 such world-wide renown. 



We must start the narrative with some 

 particulars about Lily Agnes, the dam of Or- 

 monde. In 1844 John Osborne (father of the 

 present bearer of that honoured name), a trainer 

 and breeder at Middleham, bought at Shrewsbury, 



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