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LIVERPOOL GRAND NATIONAL Most Famous Steeplechase of the World to Be Revived. Its History and Description of the Severe Obstacles to Be Surmounted in Its Running. The aniinimccnient that the runninjr of the Liverpool 5 rand National Steeplechase is to be resumed nixt sprint was received with genuine enthusiasm in England. All that the Epsom Derby has been in flat racing the Grand National has long been in stceplochasing, easily the foremost race of its kind in the world. All classes of turfmen have sought its honors, and its winner in 1900, Ambush, was the property of the then Prince of Wales, afterward King Kdward VII. Its renewal will undoubtedly be viewed by a vast concourse of pleased spectators. The Grand National Steeplechase was first run in 1830 as a sweepstakes of 00 each. 5 forfeit, with 00 added, 1S8 pounds each. Lottery, with Jem .Mason in the saddle, won the first Grand National; that year the race was run over five miles of the stiff est line of fences ever put up at Liver-liool. Then there was a five-foot stone wall, which was lowered to four feet six inches when Jerry 18-10 won. and finally pullo down and substituted by an artificial brook in Charitys 1S41 year. In Lotterys 1839 race Conrade, the mount, of Captain Iteclier. fell when loading at Mie brook, now known as Ilechers Brook; but nine of the seventeen runners completed that severe course. In Jerrys 1S40 race the distance was reduced A famous jockey in the early history of the great stefplechaae was Tom Oliver,-. -wh-4lmd!iinetxn mounts between 1S29 .and.JLS09., .He won on Gay Lud 1842, Vanguard 1843 and Peter Simple ISM, and was second three times, first on Seventy-Four, the runner-up to Lottery 1839. then on St. Leger when he beat all but Matthew 1847, and nee again on The Curate when beaten bv Chandler 1S48. The next year Oliver got third on Jem Masons horse Prince George; the winner was Peter Simple. The first horse to win the race a second time was AIkI el Kadir 1S50-51. Others to complete the "double" have been Peter Simple 1S49-53, Tiie Colonel 1S09-70. The Lamb 180S-71. and Manifesto 1S97-99. The latter was also placed in 1900, 1902 and 1903; then completed the full course behind Moifaa 1904 when sixteen years old. Altogether seventy-five Grand Nationals have been decided. Of these ten have fallen to mares. The heroines of the race are as follows: Miss Mowbrav 1851;, Auatis 18C0. Jealousy 1S01. Emblem 1803, Emblematic 1S64, Casse Tete 1872. Empress 1880, Zocdone 1SS3. Frigate 1SS9 and Shannon Lass 1902. The largest field that ever ran for the nice under notice was thirty-two, in Abd el Kadirs 1850 year; thirty ran for Salamanders ISfiO race; one h-ss when Chandler 1S4S got home; while twenty-eight have carried silk in four "Nationals." won bv Matthew 1847, Emigrant 1857, Disturbance, 1873. and Manifesto 1897. Only ten were saddled when Zoedone 1883 was returned the winner; previously Charity 1841 had triumphed in a field of eleven. Since then both Shifnal 1878 and Seaman 1882 have carried off the spoils in fields of a dozen. RIDER STEVENS WINS IT FIVE TIMES. George Stevens made a unique record as regards jockeyship. winning the race five times on Free Trader 1S50, Emblem 1803. Emblematic 1804. mid twice on The Colonel 1809-70. Previously Tom Oliver won three times, as stated above. Since then "Mr. Thomas." T. Beasley and V. Nightingall have each been successful on three occasions. The former was an assumed name of Thomas Pickernell, the rider of Anatis lSi0, The Lamb 1871, and Pathfinder 1875. Tom Beasley was tin on Empress 1880. Woodbrook 1SS1, and Frigate 1889. Wliile the latter famous jockey rode Ilex 1890, Why Not, 1894, and Grudon 1901, in all Nightingall has ridden in fourteen "Liverpools" and has been placed five times. Vanguards 1S43 race was the first decided as a handicap since those far-off days. The. only winners to carry 10S pounds or more have been Cloister 1S93, Manifesto 1899, and Jerry M. 1912. All three sailed home under the welter burden of 175 pounds. Manifesto gallantly carried 181 pounds into third place behind Ambush II. 1900. When Salamander 1S00 won, LAfricaine was apportioned the preposterous burden of 184 pounds, but he was knocked over in running, so it is quite impossible to conjecture what he might have done, as he was undoubtedly a wonderful steeplechaser; even such a celebrity as the late Mr. Goodman favored him as the best he had seen during a long career. Free Trader 1850 won with but 132 pounds in the saddle. With the "also ran" was Little Charlie, let in witli 110 pounds; this is the lightest weight ever carried in a "National." Reference to Alex Goodman recalls the fact that lie rode eleven Grand Nationals and never once came to grief. He was successful twice on Miss Mowbray 1S52, then again on Salamander 1S0G. Another famous jockey equally fortunate at Aintree was J. Pag. He, like Mr. Goodman, never had a fall, and, strangely enough, lie had eleven mounts and rode two winners. Over the severe steeplechase course Page was successful on Cortolvin 1867. when that horse finished in the van under 1G7 pounds, winning again five years later on Casse Tete 1S72. This Jockey had earlier in his career ridden several winners on the flat, including Fra-vola in the now defunct Earl Sjncers Plate, and First Lord, the hero of the Northumberland Plate Day in 1860. Jealousy, the heroine of 1861, -was ridden by Joe Kendall, n jockey who had carried off a French I Derby, a double that has in later history been completed by Percy Woodland, the rider of Driimcree 1903. A flat-race jockey not quite so fortunate in his attempt at Liverpool was Dob Sly. In Free Traders 1850 "National" he was second on Minerva beaten three-quarters of a length; Liter in that campaign, when riding Melissa in the Epsom Oaks, he was beaten in a. sensational finish by Mincepie". which won on the post by a neck. The oldest horse to -win the blue riband of the steeplechases was Why Not 1894, successful when thirteen years old. The youngest were Regal, Aus-terlitz 1877. and Empress 1880 all five-year-olds. The oldest animal that ever ran at Aintree was Liberator. He was seventeen years old when lie started for Old Joes 1880 race. Only two foUr-ycar-olds have ever been saddled. The first was Real Jam in Emblems 1SC3 journey; the Continued on second pace. LIVERPOOL GRAND NATIONAL N Continued from first page. other, by name Terrier, started in Voluptuarys j 1884 year. . Chandler 1S-1S defeated three previous winners Matthew, Pioneer and Jerry also a much-fancied candidate named Eagle, the "mount of Johnny Brom, u a champion middleweight boxer. "" Hall Court ran second three times, behind Alcibi- -ade 1S65, Salamander 1806 and The Colonel. He was the most unfortunate horse at Aintrec ami ran in seven races. Frigate also started for seven J "Nationals" and was second twice, but she won in 3 18S9 Other horses that have run in seven different years are Gamecock 1S77 and Liberator 1S9; 4 "but they both won in their turn. The records of the famous steeplechase are full or 4 romance. Chandler had been picked up for 2o 4 when drawing a grocers gig. Miss Mowbray, having 4 been returned as useless for racing, was then sold for $."00, but she was returned us unsound. Later Miss Mowbray was sold to a Mr. Maspn for a few pounds, and after winning three steeplechases with b her she was sent to Malton to be trained by John Scott During the winter she was ridden by Harry R Lampaugh witli Lord Middletons hounds, finally t winning the "National" 1S52 in a field of twenty- s four. Miss Mowbray ran second to Peter Simple the 0 following year. Two years later she broke her neck at Becliers Brook. Abd el Kadir. the first dual winner, was bred from a mare that had run in. the Shrewsbury Coach. Later Voluptuary, the win- -ner in 18S4, was destined to finish a romantic career as a stage horse. As a three-year-old he ran un- placed in Bend Ocs City and Suburban. Iist -vears winner, Rnbio. was bred in America and sold with Mr. HagginK horses at Newmarket for . -Before winning at Liverpool lie had been broken for A hunting, but broke down and, like Chandler, was 3 driven in a travelers gig. 4 Lord Coventry won the race in successive years, with Emblem 1S03 and Emblematic 18R4; they 4 wore sisters. Then, to add to the coincidence, 4 thev were both ridden by G. Stevens, and. strangely 4 enough, second place on each occasion was occupied by Arbury. ... ., ... Anatis 1800 was trained entirely on the flat, in fact, she was never put over an obstacle after 5 running unplaced the previous year, wlicn Half t Caste won. Neither had . lcibiade ISO" or VoUip- v tuary 18S4; each of these horses made their debut 1 in a steeplechase, with a success 111 the Grand Na- tlEmblein 1SG3 won her "Liverpool" by twenty lengths; on the other hand, many winners have got home bv a narrow margin. Seaman 1882 defeated Cvms on the post by a short head; Half Caste -iS59 won by a neck only from Jean du Quesne; the unlucky Hall Court failed by a neck to Alcibiadc -1805; later the race was landed by Legal 1SG, A when he defeated Congress by a neck. -1 RUBI0 THE RECORD LONG PRICE WINNER. 4 A Manv outsiders have pulled through.. When lio- 4 neer 1840 had a runaway win he started without .4 a quotation. Rubio 1908 stands out, as the only 4 winner to start at 00 to M. Three winners Sala- 4 mander 1S0G. Playfair 1SS8 and The Soarer ; XS90 were all returned at "40s." Twenty-five to one was tlie official starting price returned against Regal 1870. Old Joe 1880 U Drogheda 189S and tlie New Zealand-bred Moifaa 1904. When Huntsman 1S02 won "threes" was the best Offer; at flag-fall iit 7 to 2 Anatis starting price; the same price was returned against lhe Colonel 1870. When Lottery 1S59 won. 4 to 1 aRainst 1 was bet; since then Emblem 1S03. Ilex 1890. . Come Away 1S91 and Ambush II. 1900, have all -started at Lotterys price. Little Charlie 1858 was ridden to victory by William Archer, father of the more famous jockey, -Fred Archer. Shifnal 1S78, of a later date, was piloted by J. Jones, father of Herbert Jones, now - his majestys jockey. . Matthew 1847 Aas tlie first Irish-bred horse to - win the event; since then nearly half of the Avinners - have been bred on that side of St. George s captain Little, successful on Chandler 1S4G, was the first amateur horseman to win a Grand National. Since then the amateurs have won no less than one in three; to be exact, twenty-four. Many have won the race twice, including Mr. Richardson on Dis- ! turbance 1873 and Reugny 1S74 ; L P. ViI- 1 son on Voluptuary 18S4 and Roquefort lSbo; 1 also Alex: Goodman and Thomas Fickernell. , Tlie Grand National was first run for in 1839. . when Mr. Elmores Lottery, under J. Mason and ICS pounds, won tlie race. The description of the obstacles 111 the course of the Grand National Steeplechase course at Aintree, -near Liverpool, gives srinie idea of the reason why high value is placed oil the horse that ran carry -big weight over them and race, through plowed fields and various other kinds of footing at a slashing pace from end to end of the journey of four miles and a. half, or, tp put It exactly, about four miles and S50 yards. The details of the jumps are: SEVERE OBSTACLES OF GREAT RACE. No. 1 and 17 Thorn fence with brush, 4 ft. G in. high and 2 ft. thick, breast rail 2 ft high on take-off side close up against fence. , No. 2 and 18 Thorn fence with brush, 4 ft. 8 In. high, breast rail 2 ft high ou tike -off side close up against fence. No. 3 and 19 Thorn fence with brush, u ft high, with ditch on take-off side about 5 ft. wide and 4 ft. deep, and banked to guard rail in front ex said ditch 2 ft high. No. 4 and 20 Rail fence with brush, the breast rail being 2 ft. high close up against fence, and the fence 5 ft high and 2 ft. thick. No. 5 and 21 Thorn fenee with brush, breast rail 2 ft. high close up against fence, and the fence 4 ft 10 in. high and 2 ft. thick. No. 0 and 22 Known as "Becliers Brook, a thick thorn fence spruced, 4 ft. 10 in. high, with breast rail 2 ft high in front, close up, against fence, and a natural ditch about 4 ft. G in. wide anil 4 ft deep on the far side. No. 7 and 23--Thorn fence with brush. 4 ft 10 in. high, with breast rail in front 2 ft. high, close up against fence. ,, No S and 24 Known as the "canal turn, a thorn fence with brush, 5 ft. high and 2 ft G in. in width, ditch on take-off side 5 ft. 6 in. wide and banked to guard rail in front 2 ft. high. No 9 and 25 Known as "Valentines Brook, a thorn fence spruced. 4 ft. 0 In. high, with a breast rail In front 2 ft. high close to fence, and a natural brook on far side 5 ft wide. No. 10 and 20 Thorn fence with brush, 5 ft high and 2 ft thick, with breast rail 011 take-off side close up against feme. No 11 and 27 Rail 2 ft. high, a ditch about u ft. 0 in. wide and 4 ft. deep, and a thorn fence with brush,, on far side 4 ft. 9 in. high. No 12 and 28 Rail 2 ft. high, fence with brush. 4 ft. 10 in. high, 2 ft thick, and ditch on far side 0 ft. wide. No 13 and 29 A thorn fence with brush, 4 ft. 0 in. high, breast rail 2 ft. high close up against fL,o 14 and 30 A thorn fence with brush, 4 ft. 0 In. high, breast rail 2 ft. high close up against fCNo. 15t Thorn fence with brush, 5 ft high and 2 ft. 0 in, in width, ditch on take-off side 5 ft. wide and banked to guard rail In front 2 ft. high. No. 10 The "water jump," 10 ft wide, with thorn fence with brush, 3 ft. high on tnke-off side.
