098 
Spoiling Department. 
MR. OSBALDESTON’S MATCH AGAINST TIME, 
AT NEWMARKET, FOR ONE THOUSAND GUINEAS, 
ON SATURDAY, NOV. 5 , 1831 , 
Since the match between Sir Joshua and Filho da Puta, 
or the no less celebrated one for the Claret, when Moses won 
it, nothing has occurred to attract so large an assemblage to 
Newmarket. Parties arrived from all parts cf the kingdom ; 
and on Friday night not a bed could be obtained at any price. 
The influx was not confined to Newmarket; Cambridge and 
every other place, within ten or fifteen miles of the heath, pro¬ 
fited by the occasion. The match was made, previous to the July 
meeting, between Colonel Gharri te and Mr. Osbaldeston, for 
1,000 guineas aside; the latter undertaking to ride two hundred 
miles in ten hours in the ensuing Houghton meeting, the number 
of horses being unlimited. By some oversight it was originally 
fixed to come off on the Monday after the meeting, but, on the ob¬ 
jection that this would be a violation of the articles, the time was 
altered for Saturday. Up to the last week the backers of time 
were numerous, the contingencies being all in their favour. In 
the first place, Mr. Osbaldeston's age (forty-seven) was con¬ 
sidered inimical to his doing two hundred miles at a racing pace, 
while the mere fatigue of mounting and dismounting, it w 7 as 
thought, would be sufficient to give him what is quaintly termed 
a “ tie-up." Again they urged that a horse might fall lame, or 
turn restive, be awkward to mount or pull up ; the weather, too, 
might be unfavourable; in fact, that putting aside all these ob¬ 
jections, it was a task requiring nerve and stamina that could 
scarcely be expected from any man, however young and vigorous ; 
on the other hand, nothing could possibly happen to prejudice 
old “ Time." This party, therefore, appeared to have looked upon 
the undertaking as almost equal to one of the “ seven labours." 
That some of the contingencies speculated upon did occur, will 
be seen below. It will also be perceived that they did not ope¬ 
rate much in favour of the “ time" party. Several of the most 
experienced sporting gentlemen backed Mr. Osbaldeston, from a 
knowledge of his almost iron constitution, vigorous habits, and ge¬ 
neral capability for a hard day's work ; and it must be admitted, 
that rowing in the summer, and hunting throughout the winter 
in all weather, constitute recommendations of no ordinary nature: 
in addition to this, “ the Squire" had taken extraordinary pains 
to qualify himself for his Herculean task, especially in the last 
