The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-09 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

THE LIVERPOOL STEEPLECHASE.
LrvEupooL, March 8.
Rarely since the days of Lottery, Peter Simple, Abd-el-
Kader, and other giants of the steeplechasing world has
this event excited so great an interest as on this, its 28th

anniversary. The revival of cross-country racing which
the last two or three years have witnessed has led to a

very strong entry and an equally strong acceptance on
this occasion, and Mr. Topham may fairly be congratu-
lated on the success of his handicap.
It was at first denominated a very open affair, but time

and consideration have narrowed this view, and the opinion
that there were about half a dozen in it has been pretty
generally endorsed by the public. Many horses have
figured in the quotations, but the amount invested has
been comparatively trifling, and the leading favourites
have alone been backed for money.

Lord Coventry's success the last two years had, of

course, the effect of making his representatives very for-
midable, while the Irish and French divisions were in
great force. The accident which deprived the latter ofathe
dreaded L'Africain's services we mentioned yesterday, and
Tony Lumpkin was the chosen of the former.
Arbury, who ran second last year, hadretrograded within
_ _ _

the last 48 hours, after having been backed for a consider-

able amount during the past week. Lord Coventry's ad-

vice to his friends to back the two" seemed to have been

:ollowed, but George Stevens being announced to ride

Emblematic had the effect of still further strengthening

his position.
Never before had there been seen such a concourse of
people as crowded the stands and spread over the ground
on Aintree this morning. It was a Derby-day in the scene
of excitement at the railway station, in the rush for car-
riages, in the struggle to win the narrow way that led to the

_ .
enclosure. The line of people extended from the first fence
to Beecher's-brook, and the thronged roof of the stand was
a sight to see. Twenty-three horses, all in the bloom of
condition, a magnificent sight, came to the post, and the
race, the incidents of which will be found fully described

below, fell to Alcibiades, after a fine struggle with an ox

treme outside; Hall Court.

The Sefton Handicap of 100 sovs, added to a sweepstakes
of 5 sovs each, for 3-yr-olds and upwards. Winners ex-
tra. Six furlongs. 56 subs.
Lord Westmoreland's Wild Duck, 6 yrs, 7st llb (inc 71b
extra) (Carroll) 1
Lord Stamford's Gownsman, 4 yrs, 7st 21b (Morris) 2
Lord Uxbridge's Arkansas, 3 yrs, sst 121 b ...(Heartfield) 3
The following also ran :—Jane Shore, Leprochauu,
Worthless, and Jupon.
A. Ward weighed for North End, but did not get to the
post in time to start.
Betting-5 to 2 agst Wild Duck, sto 1 each agst Gown-
man and Arkansas, 6 to 1 agst Jane Shore, 7 to 1 agst
Worthless, and 8 to 1 agst any other.
Jane Shore cut ont the work at an indifferent pace, but

- .
was headed after running a few strides by Jupon, who
came on with the running into the straight, where Jane
Shore gave way, and Gownsman then went to the front,

and came on in company with Wild Duck and Arkansas
to the distance, where Lord Westmoreland's mare, who
had been previously disappointed, headed him, and won,
after a show of a race, by half a length. There were three
lengths between the second and third, Jupon was fourth,
Worthless fith, Jane Shore sixth, and Leprechaun last,
beaten off.

A Handicap Hurdle Race of 5 sovs each, with 50 sovs added.
Winners extra. One mile and a half. Four flights of
hurdles. 32 subs.
Mr. T. Turner's Knave of Trumps, 5 yrs, 9st 81b
Page) 1
Mr. T. Wadlow's West End, 6 yrs, lOst 91b (Inc 1b ex
W. White) 2
Mr. Barber's Cutler, 6 yrs, 9st 41b (Mr.( Mumford 3
Mr. Lucas's Vision, 5 yrs, 9st 101 b (F. Martin) 4
The following also ran ;—Zara, Duchess, Rod in Pickle,
and Corsica. •

Betting-3 to 1 agst Knave of Trumps, 4to 1 each agst
West End and Duchess, and 5 to 1 agst Corsica.
Knave of Trumps, in company with Duchess, Corsica,
Cutler, and Rod in Pickle, got away, in front, and made the
running to the first flight of hurdles, which Duchess, who
had gradually crept up, cleared in advance, the lot running
in a body to the mile-post, where the Duchess suddenly
disappeared from the front, and became the absolute last.
Rounding the canal bridge turn Rod in Pickle assumed the
premiership, and with Knave of Trumps, Cutler, and West
End in close attendance, came into the straight together,
but on reaching the hurdles beyond, Lord Sefton's
nomination was beaten, leaving Knave of Trumps with
a slight advantage, which he retained to the end, and
won easily by two lengths. A neck between the second
and third. Vision was a bad fourth, Zara fifth, and
Duchess sixth, Corsica and Rod in Pickle being the
last two.
The Grand National Steeplechase, Handicap, of 20 sovs
each, h ft, with 100 soya added. The second to save
his stake. Winners extra. Four miles and a quar-
ter. 103 subs, 43 of whom declare and pay 5 sovs
each.
Mr.

B. Angell's Alcibiades, 5 yrs, list 41b
aptain Coventry 1
Capt. Browne's Hall Court, 6 yrs, lls(Ct...(Capt. Tempest 2
Lord Coventry's Emblematic, aged, 11s 101
Philosopher,
rreshraaStanton,rrtaou d
(G. Stevens) 3
The following also ran :—Emblem, Flyfisher, Joe
Maley, Acrobat, Meanwood, Arbury, Express, Merrimac,
Lightxtarket HGeaarrdt,enPerri,nircheess
Dwarf,Dagmar
Ballycasey,
Tony Lumpkin, The
Czar, Ace of Hearts,
Mistake.
Betting-5 to 1 agst Emblematic, Bto 1 agst Stanton, 10
to 1 each agst Joe Maley and Emblem, 12 to 1 each agst
Arbury and Princess Dagmar, 100 to 8 agst Tony Lump-
kin, 100 to 6 each agst Alcibiades and Light Heart, 25 to
1 agst Czar, 28 to 1 agst the Dwarf, 33 to 1 agst Merrimac,
and 40 to 1 each agst Flyfisher and Acrobat.
In consequence of the delay in weighing out the jockeys,
it was upwards of half an hour after the time set down on
the card before the 23 competitors reached Mr. Marshall at
the post. After this failure they Were despatched in close
company, with the exception of Acrobat, who jumped
round at the moment, and resolutely resisted all the per-
and in consequence was
per-
suasion
beionhionfdh.
iOs nridseetrtltiongfaienetilio tshbeiirt'places Meanwood rushed
to the front and entered the enclosures with a lead of two
or three lengths, having on his right Joe Maley, Hall Court,
Merrimac, and Light Heart, and on his left lay Alcibiades,
Flyfisher, Arbury, Tony Lumpkin, and Mistake. in whose
wake were Emblem, Princess Dagmar, Stanton, the Dwarf,
and Market Gardener, who were whipped in by Philoso-
pher, Ballycasey, Emblematic, and the Czar. They ran
thus to the first fence, which Joe Maley cleared slightly in
advance of Meanwood, who was followed in a body by
Merrimac, Arbury, Hall Court, Alcibiades, and Emblem,
the others being widely extended and equally fortunate in
getting safely over, with the exception of Market Gardener
and Tumbler, who refused, and, although repeatedly put at
it by their respective riders' could not be got over and re-
turned home. Proceeding over the plough, Meanwood
again headed Joe Maley, and reached Beecher's-brook
several lengths in advance of Merrimac, close in whose wake
were Joe Maley, Arbury, Hall Court, Emblem, Stanton,
and Alcibiades, having Tony Lumpkin, Dwarf, Flyfisher,
Mistake, Princess Dagmar, Freshman, and Emblematic as
their immediate followers along the canal side. At this
point the tailing became extended, and on entering the
course Arbury was observed with a slight lead of Joe
Meanwood, and Hall Court, who, as they ap-
proached the thorn fence opposite the Stand, were joined
by Alcibiades, Emblem, Tony Lumpkin, and Merrimac,
who cleared it without a mistake, and proceeded nearly in
a line to the artificial water jump, which Joe Maley,
Arbury, Emblem, and Hall Court took nearly abreast. On
landing the former took a decided lead, and led round the
turn into the meadows, but at the fence beyond he
blundered, and fell heavily, and was not after perse-
vered with. This mistake left Arbury with the com-
mand, closely followed by Meanwood, Hall Court,
Merrimac, Emblem, Mistake, Emblematic, Alcibiades,
Tony Lumpkin, and Flyfisher; the others following at
wide intervals, headed by Stanton, Philosopher, and Light
Heart, and a long way in their rear by Express and the
Dwarf, the two latter being pulled up and walked back to
the enclosure at Beecher's-brook. Arbury came to grief
by over-jumping himself, and his chance was thus com-
pletely extinguished, leaving Meanwood once again with
the lead, but before they had crossed the succeeding piece
of plough ho was completely pumped out, and Knott at
once resigned the contest. These retirements enabled
Merrimac to bring his colours to the fore, Hall Court going
on second, Alcibiades third, with Mistake and Lord Co-
ventry's two following close in his wake, to three fences
from home, where Emblem gave way to her stable corn
panion, who joined Mistake at the next fence, and fol-
lowed the leaders to the fence into the course, which Hall
Court cleared several lengths of Merrimac, who was shortly
after headed by Mr. Angell's favourite, who waited upon
the leader to the hurdles at the entrance into the straight,
which the pair cleared together, and raced for those oppo-
site the Stand, which Hall Court cleared in advance, but
was caught opposite the Stand, and defeated, after a fine
race, by a head. Emblematic finished a bad third, closely