LIVERPOOL GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1675, 6 April 1904, Page 49

LIVERPOOL GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE

ITS HISTORY.

The Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase, which was decided on March 29, at Aintree, marks the Goth contest that has taken’ place, for the time-honoured cross-country race. The Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase has a- tolerably long history (says the “Field”), as the first steeplechase ever run at Aintree took place on Monday, February 29, 1836. Under the management, of Mr Lynn, proprietor of the Waterloo Hotel, flat races had taken place for some considerable time before, but with the examples of St. Albans and other places, before him that excellent man of business thought lie would be doing no- wrong in following the popular craze for crosscountry contests, and so organised a. steeplechase, which took place' pertly near and partly on the original Aintree

course. Ten horses were entered, the race was worth 80sovs, in addition to a sweepstake- of 10sovs each. The weight was I2st each, and gentleman riders were necessary. The winner turned out to be Mr Sii defield’s The Duke, ridden by Captain Be-eher, and the race was remarkable for having been,the occasion of an accident, owing to the rascality of someone interested in another horse. In the primitive course which then existed the horses had to pass through an open gateway. and in crossing a. lane, Mr Powell.

who was riding Lau-ri Todd, took the lead cn approaching the gate-, and .pastas he reached it it was suddenly shut with great- violance Mr Powell being severely injured after falling by being kicked by another horse. From, this beginning came the Grand National, and after the race of the above-named yen - steop-kchasing at Aintree became quire, popular. The appearance of the famous horse Dan O'Connell lent some interest, to the race in 1837. The; contest Jiowever was simply a chapter of accidents, and The Duke won for the second time in succession. To the Aintree course belongs the distinction of being, perhaps, the first proprietary racecourse ever organised. In 1839 Mr Lynn was growing old, and his health began to> fail, so. fee ling himself unequal to carrying on the meetings as lie had previously done, the meeting was turned into *a kind' of syndicate by a, thousand shares~of £25 c-ach, with Lord Shan ley, Sir Thomas Massey Stanley, and other responsible P'-orqans as trustees. The first “Grand'” steeplechase at Aintree took place ou February 24, 1839, and this may ho regarded as the first of the Grand Nationals, though the term was not then in use. People came from gtl'l parts cf tlie United Kingdom, and even from the Continent; there were great house parties for the occasion, but betting was practically at a- slam distill, for nobody knew how many of the 51 horses were going to start. There was a- gigantic crowd and the race was timed to take place at one o'clock, but it was three o’clock before the 18 competitors paraded in front of the grandstand. Who.t- would racegoers of the present day say to a meeting which started its principal contest a couple cf hours late? On this occasion the famous Lottery, ridden by Join Mason, was victor, lie beating Sir E. Mostyn’s Seventy-four, ridden by the erratic Tent Oliver. Lottery, it may be mentioned, under the name of Chance, ran twice on the flat as a four-year-old at the Holderness Hunt Meeting of 1834, and one of the contests he won. Mr Villebois, of Mar ham, then bought Lottery, and rode him with his stag bounds, reselling him to Elmore, who first of all let- him out- as a hunter, and then. pnc. him to steeplechasing. After the first

few years the- professional steeplechase jockey began to- make liis mark, and we find amateurs, at any rate in the first three, growing fewer and fewer. In 1840 it i,s true that amateurs were on the first five, among them being Mr Brethevton, who rode the winner Jerry; that fine horseman, Alan McDonough, was second, and tlie Marquis of Waterford, who rocle his own horse, The Sea. gained the fourth position. In IS4I amateurs were on tlie first- three, but then we have to go for several years—in fact, until 1848—before we find an amateur riding the winner, and that was when Captain Little won on The Chandler. The years 1850 and 1851 are entitled to passing mention, inasmuch as on both 'occasions Ab'-dei-Kafter, or t-hs ‘Little Alb,” a® his owner fondly called him, wan. Will Archer, it may ;bo mentioned, the father of Fred and Charles-, was a steeplechase jockey, and after being second -on Spring in 1854 he Avon on Little Charlie in 1858, second to him in the latter year being Weathercock, ridden by the accomplished Mr Ede. who, as is AA'ell kuoivn, rode under the name of “Mr Edwards.” The year 1860 saw Mr Thomas win liis first Grand Nar tiona-1 on Anatis, and then the professionals had it all theiraown Avay till Mr Coventry in 18G5 was first- past the- post on ‘"Cherry” Angell’-s Alcibiade, Mr Goodman riding Mr E. Studd’s Salamander in the following year. The late Lord Pollett’s The Lamb Avon in 18GS, ridden by "Mr Edwards;” and then came the victory of George Stevens on The Colonel, followed by Mr Thomas Avinnmg on The Lamb in 1871, and it is a some- . Avlia-t curious fact that Ben Land, whP -trained The Lamb, committed euicide: the first jockey, Sir George Ede, Av-as killed in the Seftom Steeplechase, while .The Lamb himself had to- be destroyed Through breaking his leg at Baden Baden. so- that horse, trainer and jockey all died violent deaths. Mr Richardson’s two victories on, Disturbainee and Rejigny are still talked -about.' and tnere are many yet racing who remember Mr F. G, Hobson Avinning on his horse Au.sterlitz, and. according to his custom, catching hold of the cantle of liis saddle at every fence. The year 1882 Ava-s also remarkable, inasmuch as Lord Manners. avlio had had no great experience- of steeplechasing, elected to ride his own horse Seaman, and, after doing a- little resolute practice, succeeded in carrying off the race. Then Count Kinskey rode liis own horse Zoedone to victory, and .about- this time a number of Irish horses (won the chief steeplechases- of the year, the late Captain E. R. Owen riding Father O’Flynn in 1892, and in 1895 Mr Joe Widger scored on Wild. Man from Borneo. Since the race first- estate 1 F'hed a- number of notable men and horses have taken part in the contest and the Liverpool Grand National is one

of the few steeplechases of the yeaiMvhioh evokes any genuine interest. During Mr Gol lan’s last visitMo this colony he won the -golf championship! of New Zealand at Christ church in. September 1902. As an oarsman he was considered the equal of the best English amateurs. He had! a treble-sculler specially bull It a couple of iseascns back, and accompanied by George Towns, champion of the world, and Tom Sullivan, formerly of Wellington, rowed from Oxford to Putney, a distance of 104 miles, in thirteen hours fifty-six minutes, thereby establishing a long-distance record for a triple sculling boat. Mr Gollan acted as Towns’s backer when lie defeated JaCob Gaudanr for the sculling championship of the world at Rat Portage, Ottawa, on September 8, 1902. He and Tom Sullivan, who acted as trainer and manager, accompanied the New South "Welshman. It is perhaps as a horseman that Air Gollan is best known in New Zealand.. One of his best feats in the saddle was in steering Norton to victory in the Hawk os Bay Steeplechase. Although Mr Gollan lias no horses racing in this colony at present he breeds a number of thoroughbreds on his Mangater'a station in Hawke’s Bay. A good many winners have been bred there by Captain Webb, The Possible and other sires. Waiuku, who carried Air Gol lan’s 'colours in England, is also doing stud duty there. Air Gollan’s magpie jacket is wellknown on the principal courses of the (Commonwealth. For some seasons be kept a big string going at Caulfield under Mr Percy Martin’s management. His luck on the Australian turf was not good, although he managed to win the V.B.G Oaks with Tiraillerie, the V.R.C. St. Leger Stakes with Cullodcn, the A.J.O. Oaks with Bessie Ala earthy and the A.J.C. Derby with Bonnie Scotland. Stern Chaser and Culled en were placed in the Australian Cup won by Portsea. Tirailleur was probably the best’ horse that carried the Anglo-colonial sportsl- - colours in this colony. He won a number* of important races, including the New Zealand Cup. Tirant d'Eau also won the New Zealand Cup, Norton ■the Grand) National Steeplechase and Tire the Hawkes Bay Cup. Among the horses raced by Mr Gollan in England the most successful flat racer ivas probably the New South Wales bred Australian Star, Avbo Avon the London Cup and City and Suburban Handicap. The Victorian Ebor. after competing in this colony Avon a number of hurdle races in England. Of the New Zealand horses .purchased by Air Gollan Opal competed! successfully in hurdle races. Norton won about, a dozen events and competed unsuccessfully in two Liverpool Grand Nationals before being retired. Seahorse, one of the most recent exportations, ran second in the International Hurdle Race at GatAviok Park this month. Another New Zealand-bred horse that attempted! the task successfully performed by Aloifaia AA'as the Captivator gelding Levanter. In this colony he ay as at the top of the tree having Avon the Great Northern Steeplechase and other races. He gave a taste of his quality at Randwick, Avhere lie Avon a double, carrying 12st and 13st in the colours of J.. 0. Booth, the Auckland sportsman. He was then purchased by Captain Scott (who married Hon. Jas. White’s widow) and taken to England. Levanter baa two tries to win the Liverpool Grand National. At eleven years or age lie started at 50 to 1 and ran fifth. The fo'lr loAving season lie started first favourite at sto 1 and finished fourth:. Tlic race Avals run in a enoAvstorm, the Aveatber being the AA'orst experienced since the race Alias instituted. Kirkland 1 , avlio acted as runner-up to Moifaa. finished fourth last year,a rid was unplaced the year before. His sire, Kirkham. by Chester —La. Princesse, was bred in New South Wales by the late Horn. Ja,3. White attic! sent home Avitli the intention of Avinning the Derby. King Edward’s horse. Ambush 11., Avas among the starters last year, -when lie came to grief at the last fence. The Liverpool Grand National is run over the long course of four miles 826yds, and the following is a list of the fences to be negotiated during one circuit:— 1. Thorn fence sft high and 2ft thick. 2. Thorn fence sft high, guard 1 rail on take-off side 2ft high, close up against fence. 3. Thorn fence 4ft , lOin high. Avith ditch on take-off side about 6ft Avide and 4ft deep, and a rail in front of said ditch 2ft high. 4. Rail and fence, the rail being 2ft Gin highland fenciei sft high. 5. Same as No. 1. 6. KnoAvn as “Becher’e Brook,” a thick thorn fence 4ft lOin high, with rail 2ft in front and a natural brook about Bft wide bn the far side and 4rt deep. 7. Thorn fence 4ft lOin high, with rail in front 2ft 6in high. „ 8. Thorn fence sft high,, ditch on takeoff side sft or 6ft wide, and rail in front :2ft high. 9. Known ais “Valentine’s Brook.” a thorn fence sft high, with a rail in front 2ft high and! brook on far side. 10. Thom fence 4ft lOin high and 2fb thick. 11. Rail 2ft high, a ditch about 7ft Avide and 4fb deep, and a thorn fence on the far side 4ft Gin high 12. Rail 2ft. high, fence nftrhigh. and a ditch on the far side 6ft Avide. 13. A thorn fence 4ft 6in high. 14. Thorn fence 4ft Gin hknu

15. Thorn fence sft high and 2ft in width, ditch on take-off side sffc wide, and a rail in front 2ft high. ' 16. The “water-jump,” 15ft in width.