58 Sportsmen Parsons in Peace and War 



Frederick," the winner of the Derby, and " Apology," the 

 winner of the One Thousand Guineas and the Oaks. 



Both horses arrived at the scene of action, apparently in the 

 best of condition, but the night before the race, " George 

 Frederick " owned by Mr, Cartwright was found to be lame 

 and therefore scratched. Next morning a further excitement was 

 provided by the rumour that after "Apology's" gallop on the 

 Tuesday morning her leg had filled, and she had been standing 

 all night with her leg in a bucket of cold water. 



Parson King was ill at home, and John Osborne wired the 

 news of her lameness and awaited instructions anxiously as to 

 whether she should start or not. During the morning the 

 rumour got about that the vicar had wired that as all Yorkshire 

 had backed his favourite mare she was to give them a nm for 

 their money at all costs ; but this was incorrect, for as a matter 

 of fact, Osborne never received the vicar's wire until the race 

 had been run, and brilliantly won, by " Apology." Not 

 receiving the wire in time, he had used his own discretion in the 

 matter, and while Sir Frederick Johnson was laying 100 to 

 1 against her, had decided that she should run. As she showed 

 no signs of lameness in the preliminary canter she rapidly 

 regained her place in the betting, and finally started at 4 to 1. 



John Osborne, who rode her, won the race in much the same 

 fashion as when he won the race for Lord St. Vincent on " Lord 

 Clifden " in 1863. As a jockey he was never in a hurry, 

 either in a short or long race. A 100 to 1 had been offered 

 against " Lord Clifden " during the early part of the race, so 

 far was he behind, and in the case of " Apology " her backers 

 were not at all happy about her position in the race for a long 

 time. Osborne hated a making of the running mission, but his 

 style, even if not always agreeable to backers, gave him a fine 

 opportunity of seeing all that the others were doing. 



Here is a record of " Apology's " classic wins for 1874. 

 There may have been parsons interested in, or owners of race- 

 horses before and since his time, but this must surely be a 

 record : 



NEWMARKET. The One Thousand Guineas. 



Mr. Launde's " Apology " J. Osborne 1 . 5 to 2 



Mr. Lefevre's " La Coureuse " Fordham 2. 3 to 1 



Lord Falmouth's " Blanchefleur " F.Archer 3. 10 to 1 



Nine ran, " Apology " favourite. 



