view raw text
WINNER OF GRAND NATIONAL Rank Outsider Forbra at 50 to 1 Carries Off Historic Race. Sea Soldier, Chicago-Owned Candidate, Finishes Course, But Never Proves Serious Factor. Special Cablegram. LIVERPOOL, England, March 18. For-bra, a rank outsider at 50 to 1, won the historic Grand National Steeplechase here today. Egremont was second and Shaun Goilin, a former winner, third. The victory of Forbra once again spiked the hopes of thousands of American racing fans, who had backed the thirteen American-owned entries, which went to the post in the ninety-first running of the most gruelling test of horseflesh in the world. Forbra, never once mentioned as a possible winner, is owned by W. Parsonage and was ridden by J. Hamey. Egremont, owned by Mrs. Ireland, was ridden by an amateur jockey, E. C. Paget. Shaun Goilin, the property of W. H. Mid-wood, had D. Williams up. This horse won this classic race in 1930. Chief American hopes had been pinned on Heartbreak Hill, a thoroughbred mare owned by Mrs. K. S. Bird, Jr., of Essex County, Mass., which put up a good battle to finish sixth. Heartbreak Hill was favored to win, nosing out Grakle, last years victor, in the odds. The race was run in dry weather on a course hard as iron. It was estimated that more than 300,000 racing fans, including the Prince of Wales and his younger brother, Prince George, and hundreds of American sportsmen, witnessed the classic. The official odds on the winner and placed horses were as follows: Forbra, 50 to 1; Egremont, 33 to 1; Shaun Golin, 40 to 1. Sea Soldier, a son of Man o War and the only American-bred horse in this years race, gave his numerous backers the satisfaction of completing the dangerous course without mishap, but he never was a serious threat. Forbra won by three lengths over Egremont. The race took less than its usual toll of bad falls, probably due to the fact that the field was comparatively small. Glangesia, Great Span and Coup de Chupeau fell. Two American entries, R. K. Mellons Alike and J. H. Whitneys Dusty Foot, refused at different jumps and failed to complete the course.