The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-03-04 00:00:00

THE FENCE AND WATER-PIECE AT THE CANAL

One of the most difficult leaps was that across the fence
and water-piece, close to the canal, at the north-east turn of
the course, and at which the riders had to clear, at one bound,
first a rail, next a broken hedge, and next a brook, at right
angles with the canal. The leap was to be made from a stub-
ble field into a ploughed corn field,—the former, wet and
slippy, and the latter, close to the brook, so soft and spongy,
that it was expected some of the horses would sink to their
knees. The heavy rain of the morning had so greatly in-
creased the difficulties of the footing, that the brook—here
dammed up—was afterwards contracted considerably from
its originally intended breadth, so that the water at the lower
and widest part was not more than a yard and a half across.
The descent, from the first field to the other, appeared also
to have been reduced since the last steeple chase by the land
being forced ; but the general heaviness of the ground, and
the peculiarity of the footing stated, rendered the leap, never-
theless, one of an adventurous nature, thought, as the result
showed, not so perilous as before,—(when on one occasion
one fine animal had its back broken, and others came down)
—for on this occasion the horses generally took it cleverly,
not one of them in either race falling or throwing its rider.
Here some two or three hundred persons congregated on
the canal bank, which at this point, and close to the leap,
forms a sloping embankment of considerable elevation, from
which the spectators could see the " tug of war" over each
other's heads, not only at the spot, but command a view of
the opposite side of the course, and the fields forming the
extreme turn on the east. There was a brisk cold wind
up from the south-west, blowing in their faces, and
many of them became so much chilled from its effects,
as well as the wetness of the ground, that they became im-
patient of thelong delay in starting—upwards of an hour
beyond the specified time—which was one o'clock. Consi-
derable amusement was, however, afforded by the jokes
passed on an old farmer who busied himself in keeping the
brook dammed up, and turning parties out of the wheat field,
into the soft and treacherous soil, of which many of them
sunk ancle deep, amidst the laughter of the bystanders ;
and while in this predicament, were served with peremptory
notice of ejectment by the tall " old one," who, with knee-
breeches and leggings, and drab top coat, with large cape,
and armed with a long-handled bill-hook, resembled a jave-
lin-man at the assizes. Some sailors also excited much
merriment by quizzing the canal boatmen as they passed.
" Is that a seventy-four or a frigate ?" cried one, ."
Only a
dung barge," said another; " but Seventy-four (one of
the horses) is coming up." " What is your longitude, cap-
tain ?" cried another, " And how long is it since you last
saw land?"
At length the steeple-chasers were seen scouring along the
opposite side of the course, Lottery, Bannathlath, and ano-
ther considerably in advance, followed by thirteen or four-
teen others. Two of the troop were minus before they got
up to the canal, one of them, Sam Weller, having run away
after dismounting his rider, who, however, got up, and
finally captured him. The bay mare (light blue), Colum-
bine, first got over gallantly ; next came Consul, close up,
and met, almost together, Peter Simple and Seventy-Four.
The others came nearly all " in a ruck," and all got over
well. One of the riders, before his horse quite recovered
himself from the descent, got on the animal's neck, but im-
mediately recovered himself, and struggled on. The sight
was beautiful from the number of horses, and the skill and
energy displayed.
At the leap above, west of the canal bridge,—a ditch and
high rail beyond it—one of the rails was broken down, and
the whole took the gap, both in this round and the second,—
thus having easier work of it than they expected. The
ploughed field into which they alighted was hoof-trodden
near the fence to a breadth of only about a couple of yards.
At the lane above, close to the bridge, the second leap, from
the lane into the race-course, was difficult, but the whole got
over with some changing of places.
On arriving at the ditch, opposite the Grand Stand, the
sight was beautiful,—Peter Simple coming over first by a
couple of lengths, Seventy-four, Columbine, Consul, and ,
Lottery next—the others coming up immediately afterwards. I
Having reached the starting-place Satirist fell and was drawn
off, as was afterwards Lottery, the old horse being too heavy
weighted to stand the heavy ground.
At the canal, in the second round, Seventy-four first made
the leap, closely followed by Peter Simple, and he by Gay
Lad, and Lottery. Few of the others came up. The last,
however, being heavily weighted, began to find the work too
hard for him on approaching the canal bridge, and gave up
the contest at the bottom of the race-course. The leap
above the canal brook was made by the broken rail as before.
Gay Lad made desperate play, and was nearly down on his
side, at the bottom of the course, just before reaching the
canal leap, but came up gallantly.
On coming in the position of the horses was about as fol-
lows :—Gay Lad gaily leading, Seventy-four, Peter Simple,
The Returned, Banathlath, Luck's-all, amongst whom a
very animated struggle ensued. The others being so for be-
hind that it is a question whether they will arrive this week
or the next. The race was done in twelve minutes. The
Returned seemed greatly distressed. " Dr." Lucas being
on the ground was " called in" to the patient ; after a dose
of brandy had been administered, he recovered so far as to
walk to his stables.
The next steeple chase was for
The PRINCE OF WALES'S Cup, value 100 guineas, given by
the Town of Liverpool, added to a Sweepstakes of 20 sovs.
each, h ft, for Maiden Horses of all denominations, car-
rying 12st. 71b. each. The owner of the second horse to
have his stakes returned, and the winner to pay 5 sovs.
towards expenses.
Lord Chesterfield's Claude Duva1...... (noiiA. Villiers 1
Mr Ward's b m Forget-me-not.
Mr Moore's b g The Game Chicken (Owner 3
Mr Tomlinson ns g g Jim-along-Josey (Owner 4
The betting was about 7 to 4 agst Claude Duval, 3 to 1
agst Game Chicken.
The Chicken made the running—Claude Duval second,
Jim-along-Josey next, and Forget-me-not last. As first
seen from the canal leap, the grey horse Jim-along-
-Josey had the lead on the opposite side of the course,
but soon lost it. The whole went at little more than a can-
ter the first time round. At the canal Columbine first took
the leap ; next came Forget-me-not, followed by Game
Chicken, Claude Duval, and lastly the grey horse, which
last appeared to be a strong leaner, and was frequently held
in by his rider. Columbine had so far the lead, that he drew
up almost to a trot on approaching the leaps at the bottom
of the course, to breathe his horse, and then darted forward
like an arrow, and cleared them gallantly. We should re-
mark that Forget. me-not crept through a breach in the fence
at the canal, which some lads had broken down by sitting on
it. The leaps above, to the race-course, were effected cle-
verly. In the second round, Columbine still kept the lead
at the canal, clearing all. Claude Duval came second, closely
followed by Forget-me-not and Jim-along-Josey, these alone
coming up. At the second leap at the lane near the bridge,
the last-named drew up. The rider of Forget-me-not fell,
and some time elapsed before he recovered himself, after
which he made ground admirably, and saved his distance.
On reaching the hurdles on the course, the leap was beauti-
fully done, the four coming over at once. The Game Chicken
here lost all chance, and a splendid race ensued between
Claude Duval and Forget-me-not, which eventually ended
by Claude coming in first, Forget-me-not second, the Game
Chicken third, and Jim-along fourth.
The CHAMPION HURDLE RACE, a Sweepstakes of 15 soya.
each, 10 ft., with 50 added. The owner of the second
horse to have his stake returned. Two miles.
Mr. Peace's b g Defence, aged, 12st 91b .... (Thompson) I
Mr. J. Mason's Sam Weller, aged, I2st 21b (Barker) 2
Now-or-never, Usurper, The Duenna, and Bounceaway,
also started, but were not placed.
Six hurdles constituted the " impediments." Sam Weller
made the running, Duenna second, Defence third, Usurper
fourth, Now-or-never and Bounceaway last. At the bottom
of the course Defence crept up, and headed Duenna. A
beautiful race ensued between Defence and Sam Weller,—
Defence coming in first, Sam Weller second.
At the leaf eh
having n p near the lane on the east side of the course,
nearly opposite the Grand Stand, one of the riders (whose
name
s did
lipped
da sfcreormt a ionn)eof
was tthhreo ws
rfrruopms hisHseadcdlulen.ghtios
the side of the horse for some time, but eventually fell; and