1842 Grand National
Encyclopedia
The 1842 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the fourth official annual running of a Steeple-chase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase handicap
Horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse
near Liverpool
on March 2, 1842 and attracted fifteen runners.
Although recorded by the press at the time as the seventh running of the Grand Liverpool, which was renamed the Grand National in 1847, the first three runnings were poorly organised affairs and are today regarded as unofficial.
The race was not run as a handicap chase and therefore all the runners were declared to carry 12 stone with the exception of the winner of the 1840 Cheltenham
Steeplechase who had to carry 13 stone 4lbs.
The remaining runners did not command a starting price from the bookmakers and were sent off unquoted.
, a man made post and rails. From here the field then turned left towards the Leeds
to Liverpool
canal, before jumping the Canal Turn
, a fence at a sharp 90 degree angle. This would then place the runners in the fields running along the canal where they would jump Valentine's Brook, The Table top, a fence in which the landing side was significantly raised, and then the lane fences, two hedges either side of the Melling Road that marked the point where the runners re-entered the actual race course. From here the land was laid to turf as the runners turned left and came back towards the stands. Here they had to negotiate the monument or made fence, today known as the chair, and then a water jump before setting off on a second circuit of the course. On reaching the race course for a second time the runners would this time jump two hurdles before a long run in to the finish line, bypassing the monument fence and water jump on the way.
Anonymous and Columbine led the competitors around the first circuit in which Sam Weller was the only recorded faller, somewhere near Becher's Brook.
At the start of the second circuit Peter Simple took up the running and by the time Becher's Brook was reached for the second time the competitors were spread out over a furlong of the course.
Peter Simple still led at the Canal Turn but it was here that Lottery was pulled up after showing signs of distress. Only Seventy Four, Gaylad, Columbine and The Returned were still within one field {fence} of the leader at this point but the grey was still full of running and looked very likely to win.
At the turn for home a group of spectators, keen to get a good view, had encroached onto the course without realising. Peter Simple was by now many lengths clear but his rider failed to notice the spectators in time and in trying to avoid them he was thrown from his mount. Powell, on second placed Seventy Four was able to take evasive action and continued towards the hurdles in the lead with only Gaylad close enough to challenge.
Seventy Four jumped the final hurdle in the lead but was very tired by this stage and failed to respond to the vigorous urgings of his rider for an extra effort. Gaylad by contrast was treated with much more compassion by his rider and responded to this nursing by finding the extra effort necessary to get up and win by four lengths. The very unfortunate Peter Simple was remounted to finish fifteen lengths back in third with The Returned and Columbine the only other recorded finishers. The remaining runners, with the exception of Sam Weller and Lottery are believed to have completed the course but were so far behind that they were probably swallowed up by the many mounted spectators and carriages who would follow the runners from the top end of the racecourse down the home straight.
The race was timed at 13 minutes and 30 seconds, a full minute outside the record.
horse trader John Elmore whose blue jacket and black cap colours had already been carried to victory in 1839 by Lottery. It was also suggested that Elmore had owned a part share in 1840 Grand National
winner, Jerry. He was trained by George Dockeray whose Epsom stables had also prepared Lottery and Jerry when they had won.
Second: Seventy Four, who was finishing second for the second time and carried the colours of Lord Mostyn. He was ridden by A Powell.
Third: Peter Simple, who was third for the second consecutive year and was carrying the colours of his rider, Robert Hunter.
Fourth: The Returned, who was also in the colours of his rider William J Hope-Johnstone
Handicapping
Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...
Horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse
Aintree Racecourse
Aintree Racecourse is a racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England.It was served by Aintree Racecourse railway station until the station closed in the 1960s....
near Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
on March 2, 1842 and attracted fifteen runners.
Although recorded by the press at the time as the seventh running of the Grand Liverpool, which was renamed the Grand National in 1847, the first three runnings were poorly organised affairs and are today regarded as unofficial.
The race was not run as a handicap chase and therefore all the runners were declared to carry 12 stone with the exception of the winner of the 1840 Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
Steeplechase who had to carry 13 stone 4lbs.
Competitors and Betting
- 5/1 Favourite was Lottery who again was burdened with the Cheltenham penalty of 13 stone 4lbs. The 18391839 Grand NationalThe 1839 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the first official annual running of a steeplechase which later became known as the Grand National.It was held at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 26 February 1839 and attracted a field of seventeen runners.Although recorded by the press at...
winner was partnered for the fourth time in the race by Jem MasonJem MasonJames "Jem" Mason was a champion English jockey. On February 26, 1839 he won the Grand National in Liverpool on a brown-bay racehorse called Lottery....
, one of five riders having a fourth ride in the race. - 6/1 Peter Simple, an eight year old grey entire who had been third last year1841 Grand NationalThe 1841 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the third official annual running of a Steeple-chase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase handicap Horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on March 3rd 1841 and attracted a then smallest ever field of eleven...
. He was a debut ride for Robert Hunter, one of eight rookies in the race. - 6/1 Seventy Four, the nine year old runner up of 18391839 Grand NationalThe 1839 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the first official annual running of a steeplechase which later became known as the Grand National.It was held at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 26 February 1839 and attracted a field of seventeen runners.Although recorded by the press at...
, providing a fourth ride for last year's1841 Grand NationalThe 1841 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the third official annual running of a Steeple-chase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase handicap Horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on March 3rd 1841 and attracted a then smallest ever field of eleven...
winning jockey A Powell. - 7/1 GayladGaylad (racehorse)Gaylad was a racehorse that beat fourteen rivals to win the 1842 Grand National, ridden by Tom Olliver. It won in a time of 13 minutes 30 seconds....
, an 8 year old fourth ride for Tom OlliverTom OlliverThomas 'Tom' Olliver , born Oliver or Olivere, was a steeplechase jockey and racehorse trainer, who won three Grand Nationals as a rider in the 1840s and 50s....
who had finished second in 18391839 Grand NationalThe 1839 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the first official annual running of a steeplechase which later became known as the Grand National.It was held at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 26 February 1839 and attracted a field of seventeen runners.Although recorded by the press at...
. - 8/1 Sam Weller, an 8 year old owned by Lottery's rider Jem Mason and providing P Barker with his fourth National ride.
- 10/1 Consul, a 10 year old ridden by F Oldaker
- 10/1 Lucks All, a 10 year old ridden by Thomas Goddard
- 100/7 Satirist, a 6 year old, which, when unofficial Nationals are included, was giving 18401840 Grand NationalThe 1840 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the second official annual running of a steeplechase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase handicap horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on March 5, 1840 and attracted a then smallest ever field of thirteen...
winner, Bartholomew BrethertonBartholomew BrethertonBartholomew Bretherton was a coach proprietor from Rainhill near St Helens who also rode many times in the Grand National as an amateur rider, winning the race in 1840 in the colours of Henry Villebois on his horse Jerry...
his fourth ride. - 15/1 The Returned, an 8 year old ridden by William Hope-Johnstone
- 20/1 Banathlath, a 7 year old ridden by Peter Colgan
- 20/1 Bangalore, a 10 year old ridden by Captain William Peel
The remaining runners did not command a starting price from the bookmakers and were sent off unquoted.
- Anonymous, a 10 year old ridden by his owner, G Moore
- Columbine, an 8 year old who had fallen in 18401840 Grand NationalThe 1840 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the second official annual running of a steeplechase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase handicap horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on March 5, 1840 and attracted a then smallest ever field of thirteen...
and was ridden this year by Larry Byrne. - Honesty, an 8 year old ridden by William McDonough
- Lady Langford ridden by J Abbott
The race
The course consisted of two circuits of a spindle shaped course at Aintree, starting from a position beside the stables and running off the racecourse over Melling Road and into open countryside. The competitors would have to negotiate any hedges and banks they came across to travel from field to field, most of which were open ploughland, until reaching Becher's BrookBecher's Brook
Becher's Brook is a fence jumped during the Grand National, a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. It is jumped twice during the race, as the sixth and 22nd fence, as well as on four other occasions during the year...
, a man made post and rails. From here the field then turned left towards the Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
canal, before jumping the Canal Turn
Canal Turn
The Canal Turn is a fence on Aintree Racecourse's National Course and thus is jumped during the Grand National steeplechase which is held annually at the racecourse near Liverpool, England....
, a fence at a sharp 90 degree angle. This would then place the runners in the fields running along the canal where they would jump Valentine's Brook, The Table top, a fence in which the landing side was significantly raised, and then the lane fences, two hedges either side of the Melling Road that marked the point where the runners re-entered the actual race course. From here the land was laid to turf as the runners turned left and came back towards the stands. Here they had to negotiate the monument or made fence, today known as the chair, and then a water jump before setting off on a second circuit of the course. On reaching the race course for a second time the runners would this time jump two hurdles before a long run in to the finish line, bypassing the monument fence and water jump on the way.
Anonymous and Columbine led the competitors around the first circuit in which Sam Weller was the only recorded faller, somewhere near Becher's Brook.
At the start of the second circuit Peter Simple took up the running and by the time Becher's Brook was reached for the second time the competitors were spread out over a furlong of the course.
Peter Simple still led at the Canal Turn but it was here that Lottery was pulled up after showing signs of distress. Only Seventy Four, Gaylad, Columbine and The Returned were still within one field {fence} of the leader at this point but the grey was still full of running and looked very likely to win.
At the turn for home a group of spectators, keen to get a good view, had encroached onto the course without realising. Peter Simple was by now many lengths clear but his rider failed to notice the spectators in time and in trying to avoid them he was thrown from his mount. Powell, on second placed Seventy Four was able to take evasive action and continued towards the hurdles in the lead with only Gaylad close enough to challenge.
Seventy Four jumped the final hurdle in the lead but was very tired by this stage and failed to respond to the vigorous urgings of his rider for an extra effort. Gaylad by contrast was treated with much more compassion by his rider and responded to this nursing by finding the extra effort necessary to get up and win by four lengths. The very unfortunate Peter Simple was remounted to finish fifteen lengths back in third with The Returned and Columbine the only other recorded finishers. The remaining runners, with the exception of Sam Weller and Lottery are believed to have completed the course but were so far behind that they were probably swallowed up by the many mounted spectators and carriages who would follow the runners from the top end of the racecourse down the home straight.
The race was timed at 13 minutes and 30 seconds, a full minute outside the record.
Finishing order
| position | name | rider | age | weight | starting price | dstance or fate |
| Winner | Gaylad Gaylad (racehorse) Gaylad was a racehorse that beat fourteen rivals to win the 1842 Grand National, ridden by Tom Olliver. It won in a time of 13 minutes 30 seconds.... |
Tom Olliver Tom Olliver Thomas 'Tom' Olliver , born Oliver or Olivere, was a steeplechase jockey and racehorse trainer, who won three Grand Nationals as a rider in the 1840s and 50s.... |
8 | 12-00 | 7/1 | |
| Second | Seventy Four | A Powell | 9 | 12-00 | 6/1 | |
| Third {remounted} | Peter Simple | Robert Hunter | 8 | 12-00 | 8/1 | Rider unseated at the home turn when spectators encroached onto the course |
| Fourth | The Returned | William Hope-Johnstone | 8 | 12-00 | 15/1 | |
| Fifth | Columbine | Larry Byrne | 8 | 12-00 | Not quoted | Last recorded finisher |
| Unrecorded | Anonymous | G Moore | 10 | 12-00 | Not quoted | Completed the course but may not have taken all the jumps |
| Unrecorded | Bangalore | Captain William Peel | 10 | 12-00 | 20/1 | Completed the course but may not have taken all the jumps |
| Unrecorded | Honesty | William McDonough | 8 | 12-00 | Not quoted | Completed the course but may not have taken all the jumps |
| Unrecorded | Satirist | Bartholomew Bretherton Bartholomew Bretherton Bartholomew Bretherton was a coach proprietor from Rainhill near St Helens who also rode many times in the Grand National as an amateur rider, winning the race in 1840 in the colours of Henry Villebois on his horse Jerry... |
6 | 12-00 | 100/7 | Completed the course but may not have taken all the jumps |
| Unrecorded | Lucks All | Thomas Goddard | 10 | 12-00 | 10/1 | Completed the course but may not have taken all the jumps |
| Non finishers | ||||||
| Becher's Brook 2nd time | Lottery | Jem Mason Jem Mason James "Jem" Mason was a champion English jockey. On February 26, 1839 he won the Grand National in Liverpool on a brown-bay racehorse called Lottery.... |
13-04 | 5/1 favourite | Pulled up | |
| Near Becher's 1st time | Sam Weller | P Barker | 8 | 12-00 | 8/1 | Fell |
| Banathlath | Peter Colgan | 7 | 12-00 | 20/1 | Fate not recorded | |
| Consul | F Oldaker | 10 | 12-00 | 10/1 | Fate not recorded | |
| Lady Langford | J Abbott | 12-00 | Not quoted | Fate not recorded |
1-2-3-4
Winner: Gaylad was ridden by Tom Olliver, who was one of the most experienced riders in the race, having his fourth ride after finishing second in 1839 while riding Seventy Four. The horse was owned by PiccadillyPiccadilly
Piccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...
horse trader John Elmore whose blue jacket and black cap colours had already been carried to victory in 1839 by Lottery. It was also suggested that Elmore had owned a part share in 1840 Grand National
1840 Grand National
The 1840 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the second official annual running of a steeplechase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase handicap horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on March 5, 1840 and attracted a then smallest ever field of thirteen...
winner, Jerry. He was trained by George Dockeray whose Epsom stables had also prepared Lottery and Jerry when they had won.
Second: Seventy Four, who was finishing second for the second time and carried the colours of Lord Mostyn. He was ridden by A Powell.
Third: Peter Simple, who was third for the second consecutive year and was carrying the colours of his rider, Robert Hunter.
Fourth: The Returned, who was also in the colours of his rider William J Hope-Johnstone