1842 Grand National - The Race

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 Brook, 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.