1844 Grand National
Encyclopedia
The 1844 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the sixth annual running of a Handicap Steeple-chase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase Horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse
near Liverpool
on Wednesday February 28th 1844 and attracted a field of sixteen runners. It was won by the 5/1 co favourite, Discount, ridden by John Crickmere.
Fourteen horses completed the course but the last five of those either finished so far behind that they came in among the mounted spectators who followed the race or just bypassed obstacles when victory was beyond them. In order of finishing the five, who were not recorded as official finishers were Peter Simple, Wiverton, Heslington, Nimrod and Charity. The only two who did not complete the course were Robinson, who refused and did not continue and Teetotum, who was pulled up during the second circuit.
All of the horses returned safely but Rackley, the rider of Tom Tug, was so exhausted on returning to unsaddle that he had to be lifted from his mount.
Alan McDonough, on Nimrod, Tom Olliver
, on Wiverton and Bartholomew Bretherton
, on Marengo all took a record sixth ride in the Grand National this year.
The winning rider, John Crickmere was riding in his second National having finished third the previous year. he was twenty-two years old and would go on to have one further ride in the race before dying of consumption
in 1846. The previous year he had been very unlucky to lose the race and commented on this to the winning rider, Tom Olliver who had responded by saying that he had stopped for a smoke to allow Crickmere's mount to catch up. This year Olliver failed to complete the course, prompting Crickmere to ask him where Olliver had stopped for a smoke this year to which Olliver replied with a smile that this year he had instead stopped for a drink in Kirby. On the official Aintree records published each year in the race card he is listed as either Mr Crickmere or H Crickmere.
The owner was a Piccadilly
horse dealer by the name of Mr Quartermaine.
The winning horse was by Sir Hercules out of Minikin and was originally named Magnum Bonum.
The race was run in a time of 13 minutes 58 seconds, which was 1 minute and 28 seconds slower than the record for the race.
Discount won the race by fifteen lengths with the third horse a further length behind.
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 Wednesday February 28th 1844 and attracted a field of sixteen runners. It was won by the 5/1 co favourite, Discount, ridden by John Crickmere.
Finishing order
| position | name | rider | age | weight | starting price | dstance or fate |
| Winner | Discount | John Crickmere | 6 | 10-12 | 5/1 co favourite | 20 lengths |
| Second | The Returned | Bill Scott | 12-00 | 15/1 | 1 length | |
| Third | Tom Tug | H Rackley | 10-07 | Not quoted | ||
| Fourth | Caeser | P Barker | 11-10 | Not quoted | ||
| Fifth | Lather | Thomas Ball Thomas Ball Thomas Ball may refer to:*Thomas Ball , English divine* Thomas Ball , American sculptor* Thomas Ball , represented the Mongonui electorate... |
11-02 | Not quoted | ||
| Sixth | The Romp | Larry Byrne Larry Byrne Larry Byrne was an Irish footballer who played for Bohemian F.C. during the 1910s and early 20s.Byrne kept goal for the strictly amateur Bohs from 1914/15 to 1921/22. This was a considerably long time to spend at a club in those unsettled times in Ireland. Amazingly, Larry used to be the club's... |
10-07 | 25/1 | ||
| Seventh | Marengo | 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... |
10-10 | 5/1 co favourite | ||
| Eighth | Little Peter | H Hollingshead | 10-12 | Not quoted | ||
| Ninth | Louis Philippe | J Cowell | 11-00 | 20/1 | ||
| Non finishers | ||||||
| Remounted | Peter Simple Peter Simple (racehorse) Peter Simple was the third racehorse in history to win the Grand National steeplechase twice, emulating The Duke and Abd-El-Kader. After winning in 1849 the horse failed to complete the course during the next three years before winning again in 1853 at the age of 15, the oldest ever winner.A full... |
John Frisby | 12-12 | Not quoted | Fell, remounted to complete the course but may not have jumped all the fences | |
| Remounted | Wiverton | 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.... |
12-04 | 8/1 | Fell, remounted to complete the course but may not have jumped all the fences | |
| Remounted | Heslington | William McDonough | 12-00 | 8/1 | Refused on the first circuit and fell two fences before Becher's on the second circuit, remounted to complete the course but may not have jumped all the fences | |
| Remounted | Nimrod | Alan McDonough | 10-10 | 14/1 | Fell on the first circuit, remounted to complete the course but may not have jumped all the fences | |
| Remounted | Charity Charity (racehorse) Charity was a racehorse who won the 1841 Grand National at the second attempt, defeating ten rivals in a time of 13 minutes 25 seconds. William Vevers was the official trainer of Charity... |
Horatio Powell | 10-07 | 13/1 | Fell at the first Valentine's and the water jump, remounted to complete the course but may not have jumped all the fences | |
| Robinson | Mr Parker | 12-07 | Not quoted | Refused | ||
| Teetotum | Mr Sharkey | Not quoted | Pulled up on the second circuit |
Details
The race was run in heavy rain, making it difficult for the spectators and press in the stands to see the action in the country. The story of what happened to those who did not complete the course was sketchy and was relayed mostly by the jockeys as they returned after the race.Fourteen horses completed the course but the last five of those either finished so far behind that they came in among the mounted spectators who followed the race or just bypassed obstacles when victory was beyond them. In order of finishing the five, who were not recorded as official finishers were Peter Simple, Wiverton, Heslington, Nimrod and Charity. The only two who did not complete the course were Robinson, who refused and did not continue and Teetotum, who was pulled up during the second circuit.
All of the horses returned safely but Rackley, the rider of Tom Tug, was so exhausted on returning to unsaddle that he had to be lifted from his mount.
Alan McDonough, on Nimrod, 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....
, on Wiverton and 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...
, on Marengo all took a record sixth ride in the Grand National this year.
The winning rider, John Crickmere was riding in his second National having finished third the previous year. he was twenty-two years old and would go on to have one further ride in the race before dying of consumption
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in 1846. The previous year he had been very unlucky to lose the race and commented on this to the winning rider, Tom Olliver who had responded by saying that he had stopped for a smoke to allow Crickmere's mount to catch up. This year Olliver failed to complete the course, prompting Crickmere to ask him where Olliver had stopped for a smoke this year to which Olliver replied with a smile that this year he had instead stopped for a drink in Kirby. On the official Aintree records published each year in the race card he is listed as either Mr Crickmere or H Crickmere.
The owner was a Piccadilly
Piccadilly
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 dealer by the name of Mr Quartermaine.
The winning horse was by Sir Hercules out of Minikin and was originally named Magnum Bonum.
The race was run in a time of 13 minutes 58 seconds, which was 1 minute and 28 seconds slower than the record for the race.
Discount won the race by fifteen lengths with the third horse a further length behind.