The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-03-03 00:00:00

I THE LIVERPOOL GREAT NATIONAL STEEPLE-
CHASE.

Umpires,--The Earls of SEFTON and CHESTERFIELD, and
G. PAYNE, Esq.

The " Great National Steeple-chase" came off, on Wed-
nesday last, at Aintree, over the usual line of country. From
the extreme beauty of the morning, an immense crowd was
present; in fact, we have on no occasion seen so many per-
sons present. The Grand Stand was wall attended, and all
the cheaper stands were tolerably crowded. The various
" impediments" were thronged with spectators, who ap-
peared to think that the sight of fifteen men on fifteen
horses jumping twice over a ditch, a wall, or a fence, at the
risk of breaking their necks, was well worth the wasting a
day. The only differences in the leaps from former years
were the erection of a stout stone wall, in the first round,
where a hurdle was formerly placed, and the widening one
foot of the ditch in front of the Grand Stand. One or two
of the leaps appeared, to a quiet pedestrian, formidable
enough ; but, after the first race was over, we heard a jockey
say that they were not " hafe high enow," and wished "that
he might have the rearing of them next year and he would
show them what they had to get over in Leicestershire."
Steeple-chasing may be very exciting to both horse, rider,
and spectator, when once the blood is warmed, but it is silly
work after all, let its admirers and supporters say
what they will. To encounter fearful leaps diminishes,
in our opinion, any pleasure there may be in the sport ; for,
surely, there can be but little pleasure or sport where man
and horse are placed in such jeopardy, although the daring of
the fin mer and the spirit of the latter may urge them to brave
all danger, and laugh accident and bruises to scorn. The
wall was placed to accommodate the Irish horses and riders;
and, in the racy, Mr. Moore, the rider of one of the Irish
horses, broke his collar-bone in going over it in the first
round, the horse falling on him. There fell the spirited
horse, and there the rider—the latter, perhaps, maimed for
life, and this is called sport ! Thus a man's life is risked for
the purpose of letting a number of people see a horse jump
over a wall. That the horse felt some enthusiasm there can
be no doubt. On recovering his legs, though considerably
scratched and bruised, the poor brute rushed gallantly for-
ward, and cleared the ditch in splendid style, continuing his
headlong course until stopped a long way from the place of
accident.

The weather throughout the day was beautiful, a slight fall
of snow only taking place after the steeple-chase, but it was
of but short endurance. On the ground were but few stalls,
and the winniepeg men did not muster in any force. On the
grand stand we noticed several ladies, who appeared to take
considerable interest in the proceedings.
The rural police kept the ground as well as it was possible
so small a force could. Mr. Lynn's spirited, exertions and
indefatigable and untiring zeal in promoting the objects of
the meeting were deserving of all praise. His arrangements
were admirable in every respect. The facility he gives, and
the courtesy he shows to all connected with the press, deserve
indeed the thanks of the "fourth estate."
One of the most remarkaole sights during the day, was to
witness the crowds of persons running across the course after
the leaps into the road had been taken. The immense multi-
tude appeared to radiate from one dense point into a thousand
moving figures, reminding one of the ants on a mole hill.
This steeple-chasehas been unquestionably the best attended
of any yet, although the " sport" was inferior in quantity to
other years. We certainly-never saw so many pedestrians;
and on the way home, we have no doubt that when the first
quitters of the course were entering Liverpool the lingerers
only were emerging from the scene of the days gratification.
The odds at starting were-3 to 1 against Peter Simple, 4
to 1 against Returned, 4L to 1 against Lottery, 10 to 1 against
Redwing, 10 to 1 against Tinderbox, 12 to 1 against Claude
Duval, 12 to 1 against Goblin, 12 to 1 against Nimrod, 15
to 1 against Dragsman. Mr. Oliver, we believe, took 50 to
3 against Vanguard, asserting that, although people did not
seem to think much of him (Vanguard), he knew that he
should not be left far behind.
Amongst the company we noticed—the Marquis of Wa-
terford, Lord George Bentinck, Marquis Clanricarde, Lord
Vivian, Lord Sefton and party, Lord Maidstone, Sir Richd.
Bulkeley, Sir Wm. Stanley and party, Sir Piers Mostyn,
Col. Anson, Major Campbell, Captains Brooke, Meynell,
White, Waterton, Price, Hewitt, Messrs. J. Shaw Leigh,
11. R. Sandbach and party, Ireland Blackburne, M.P., W.
Blundell, Tattersall, Brooke, Worthington, Thos. Roberts,
Littledale, Neilson, Earle, Ferguson, Wright, &c., &c.
Previous to the race, a sale of blood stock took place by
Mr. Tattersall, who came down from London expressly to
sell ; but for the lots he found purchasers for, he might have
stayed, we suspect, quietly at the " Corner." The attend-
ance war good enough, as might be expected, anything cre-
ating interest on a race-course for the moment ; but there
were few buyers, at very low prices.
The first race was
A HANDICAP SWEEPSTAKES Of 20 SOTS. each, 10 ft., with
100 sovs. added. The owner of the second horse to have
his stake returned.
Lord Chesterfield ns b g Vanguard, list 101 b .. (Oliver) 1
Mr. Mare's Nimrod, list .
Mr. Holman ns b g Dragsman, list 31b (Crickmere) 3
Baron Rothschild's Consul, Ilst 121 b .
Col. Anson's br h Claude Duval, list 71b...... (Tomlin) 5
Mr. W. Ekin's g h Peter Simple, 12st 101 b .... (Frisby) 6
Mr. Elmore's Lottery
Mr. Creafurd's The Returned ........ (Col. Campbell) 0
Lord Waterford's Redwing . (Doolan) 0
Mr. Hunt's Tinderbox
Mr. Errington ns Goblin
Mr. Kennedy's Tetotum
Mr. Craven us Croxby
Mr. R. Hunter's Bucephalus (Whitworth) 0
Air. Taylor's Victoria
Forfeit was declared on 16, to pay £5 each.
The start took place in the field on the other side of the
road, and was well managed. Vanguard made the running,
closely followed by Peter Simple. Previous to the third
jump, Victoria threw her rider (Col. Campbell) in a ploughed
field, having put her foot in a drain. On getting up, she
took a decided line of her own to the right, and was soon
lost sight of, amidst a cluster of trees. Col. Campbell was
unhurt. With the usual changes of place, Vanguard held
a forward position in the first round. The wall was fairly
cleared until Tetotum and Tinderbox tried it, when they both
fell, Mr. Moore on the latter breakir his collar-bone : (he
was taken to the Weighing-house and promptly attended to,
a surgeon being in attendance.) They all went well over the
ditch, and at this point the race presented a certainly very
animated appearance. Tinderbox, on getting up, cleared the
ditch well with the rest, as if determined not to be left be-
hind. In the second round. Peter Simple refused the first
fence, the mob of people closing up,
and evidently frighten-
ing him ; and his chance was then out. He looked, previous
to that time, very like a winner. At the canal, Dragsman
got across the gate, failing to clear it, being startled by the
mob. On coming into the course, a capital race ensued
between Vanguard, Nimrod, and Dragsman, the latter
striving hard, if not to win, to save his stake. The others
all tailed behind, Vanguard winning
in a canter. Lottery
and Peter Simple were pulled up,
The next race was
The CHAMPION HURDLE RACK, a Sweepstakes of 15 soya.
and name in quietly.
each, 10 ft., with 30 sovs. added. The second horse to
save his stake. Two miles.
Mr. Raworth's b h Cattonian,Y
5 yrs old
Mr. Peace's b g Defence,(Bradley) 1
Mr. A. Moore's b g Magic, 5
rs 01d... (Powell) 3
2
aged
Defence took the lead, followed by Magic, both going over
the first hurdle well together. Cattonian soon sprung out,
clearing the hurdles splendidly. An animated race took
place between Cattonian and Defence, the former winning
............ (Sanders)
after a severe struggle.
The PRINCE OF WALES'S CUP, value 100 guineas, added to
a Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each. 12st. each.
Did not fill.
This closed the day's sport : there was little of it, but what
there was, no doubt answered the expectation of the sight-
seers. We may here remark, that the conduct of the people
assembled was really disgraceful at the different leaps, and it
is surprising that no accident occurred, so eagerly and fool-
ishly persons pressed forward. The leaps ought all to be
railed off at least a hundred yards, to prevent the pressure
of the crowd.
We made inquiry last night as to Mr. Moore's progrees,
and are glad to learn that he is doing well.

WATERLOO COURSING MEETING

TUESDAY AND THURSDAY.
WATERLOO CUP.
TIES :
Maximus beat Queen Mavourneen beat Zurich
Rocket beat Empress P P beat Knight of the Garter
Matilda beat Blackbird
Major beat Sandy Sportsman beat Rubens
Marmi
Lady Harkaway beat Man Solon beat
go Queen Bee beat Ri on
Stork beat Stag bton
Slasher beat Mariner Gambler beat Tyrant
Chancellor beat Eau de Vie Negro beat Redgauntlet
Distiller beat Hotspur
SECOND TIES :
Mavourneen beat P P
Solon beat Sportsman
Queen Bee beat Gambler
Distiller beat Negro
TIES :
Solon beat Mavourneen
Bee beat Distiller
Queen
TIESI Soonb eat Queen Bee
COURSE :
beat Mr. Slater's r d Solon,

Rocket beat Maximus
Major beat Matilda
Lady Harkaway beat Stork
Slasher beat Chancellor

R. STAKES,