view raw text
JOHN OSBORNES WONDERFUL VITALITY. If any man may be said to have discovered the secret af iwreniiial youth, that man is John Os-berne. the famous rider of past and trainer of present days. To describe him as old would be in the nature of a Hliel. for though "Honest John." as he is familiarly known, first beheld the light a matter f some eighty-two years back he has yet really to shed his youth. At all events, he is still going as strongly as many a man considerably his junior according to the calendar. John Osbornes father, who Ixire the same surname, was also a well-known owner and trainer, and the subject of this sketch has thus l eeu as asckMsd with the thoroughbred practically throughout iiis loi.g life. He made his appearance in the saddle in the early Victorian days — in 1S40. to be exact. wl«-u lie rode at tlie now defunct Rad-rllffe Lrdgo mooting. His first classic triumph was scored in the tin? Thousand on Manganese, the proiK-rty of Mr. Brook, in is:*;, and he won the ra -c a second time eighteen years later on the fiSSSSas Aaataej. owned by the celebrated sporting parson who raced as Mr. Lauudc. Ai ology later won the Oaks and the St. Loger. In the latter race "all Yorkshire" was said to he on her. and the story go.-s that, though said to be lame near tin- day ol the race, the order was given that she should run. if she only had three legs. Osborne also won the Doncaster race on Lord lifden. His luckiest classic, however, was the Two Thousand, in which he was successful on no fewer than si occasions. His first victory was recorded on Lord /.••Hands Vedette, in 1S50. Then fallowed Pretender in ISO!, and Bothwell in 1S71 — iKith these helonging to .Mr. Johnstone Prince Charlie in 1*72. Camb.illo in 1S7.".. and Ayrshire in isvs. In Hie bet-named race the Duke of Port-bind alw. supplied the runner-up in Johnny Morgan, ridden by lrod Barrett, who was on the back of Ayrshire when that colt subsequently won the Derby. In the premier classic Oslxirne did nothing like so sraU, as although his Derby mounts totalled well over thirty be is only able to lay claim to one success, this lieing scored on Pretender, which beat Pcro Qaaaai by a head. In this race Mr Johnstone was represented by three candidates, but Pretender was the one on which hopes were centered. Osborne colli iniied to ride until 1S02, so that his Cling career extended over forty six years. In his final season, when fifty-nine years of age. be hail his last classic ride on Watercress, in the St. Ix-ger. ami the veteran had the satisfaction of fin ishing third to La rieche. a stable companion of Watercress, with Ornie -another from Porters es-tahlisbmeiit. and favorite- -unplaced. Since bis retirement from the saddle, Oslxirne l"«s Mtal I active participation in the sport and turned out a goodly number of winners from the Midi!;. -ham Stable over which he presided. Among those was King Crow, which won the Manchester Cap for the late Mr. R. C. Vyncr, while only a couple of years ago he saddled the winner of the Chester Cap, The Sailer. Moreover be rode that horse in bis final gallop oyer the course prior to the race. A remarkable youngster, this John Oslierne! — London Sporting Life.
