1850 Grand National

Last updated

1850 Grand National
Grand National
Location Aintree
Date27 February 1850
Winning horse Saint Patrick's Saltire.svg Abd-El-Kader
Starting price unquoted
Jockey Chris Green
Trainer Joseph Osborne
OwnerJoseph Osborne
Conditions Good
  1849
1851  

The 1850 Grand National was, at the time, the 15th annual running of a handicap steeplechase horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England on Wednesday, 27 February 1850. [1] It was later retrospectively recorded as the twelfth official running in 1864. It attracted a then record field of thirty-two runners and was won by the unconsidered Irish entrant, Abd El Kader.

Contents

Leading Contenders

Peter Simple was the long time favourite of the general public on the back of his winning the 1849 Grand National although there seemed to be some confusion over his ownership as most contemporary reports differ as to whose colours he was to carry. His trainer Tom Cunningham remained in the saddle, as he had been last year in victory. Contemporary reports stated that, in what proved to be Cunningham's second and final ride in the race, Peter Simple was stated by some contemporary newspaper sources as having finished the race in fifth position. Records of those that did not finish in the first three however were not officially recorded and modern records state that the horse did not complete the course. The proved to be Cunningham's final ride in the Grand National, although Peter Simple would return in 1851.

Sir John Was backed down to 7/1 to win in the colours of Lord Waterford, who himself had ridden in the 1840 Grand National and provided John Ryan with the best backed mount of the seventeen riders making their debut in the race. Ryan matched the owner's performance in the race by finishing third.

Rat Trap or Rattrap, as it was listed in some contemporary reports was the mount of John Frisby and was quoted at 9/1 on the course. The partnership did not complete the course, though it was not recorded what fate befell them.

The Victim was quoted at 12/1 by bookmakers and betting rooms. In the company of his rider, William Taylor, they failed to complete the course.

The Knight of Gwynne had finished second the previous year so was naturally well supported to improve on that performance. The horse this year ran in the colours of a Mr Fort and so had a new rider with the 1847 winning rider, Denny Wynne. The 12/1 shot again put in a good showing but was beaten before the winner came back into the view of those in the stands, running on gamely to finish second yet again.

The only other competitors that came under the consideration of the Bookmakers were Farnham and Vengeance at 13/1, The 1848 winner Chandler was at 16/1 with Columbine, Maria Day, Little Fanny and The Oaks attracting the lesser public money.

Abd El Kader lay among the "any price these others" category as to be so unconsidered that the Bookmakers did not see fit to offer a price to the public. With Chris Green in the saddle they began attracting attention during the race with Bookmakers offering odds of 20/1 in running until it became gradually clear that the Irish entry might stay the course and win. Known as "Little Ab" due to his diminutive stature, the horse was a little under fifteen hands high. [2] He would go on to become the first dual winner of the race and the first to win in consecutive years when repeating the feat in 1851.

Finishing order

No official returns for the Grand National exist prior to 1865. The return below is taken from the account published by the reporter of The Times newspaper the day after the race. Contemporary news reports agree only on the finishing order of the first three and none make any report of the fate of those that did not complete the course.

In Victorian horse racing, riders who fell from their mounts would have felt obliged and even encouraged to remount and continue the chase unless they or their horse suffered injury or the horse could not be caught. It is probable that most of the competitors completed the course in some shape or form but at such a long interval from the winner that their completion went totally ignored by the public.

In the 1980s the Reg Green book, A race Apart recorded just seven finishers, in the order below, omitting Peter Simple and Columbine however none of the known contemporary news reports support this.

The official records for Aintree racecourse state that the winner completed the course in a time of 9 minutes 57 seconds, making this the first sub ten minute Grand National, however none of the contemporary newspapers reports of the time support this information with the few that did record the time stating that it was won in a time of 10 minutes 20 seconds.

positionnameriderageweightstarting pricedistance or fate
1stAbd-El-Kader Chris Green 89-12unquoted
2ndThe Knight of Gwynne Denny Wynne 11-0812/1One length
3rdSir John John Ryan 11-087/1three lengths
4thTipperary Boy Sam Darling 610-00unquoted
5th Peter Simple Tom Cunningham 1212-025/1 favourite
6thColumbine Tom Olliver 10-0420/1
7thFarnham Tom Abbott 611-0315/1
8thMaria DayH Rackley10-0525/1
9thVengeance William Archer 9-1015/1

Non finishers

positionnameriderageweightstarting pricefate
Fence 1The Oaks Charlie Canavan 510-0530/1Baulked & Fell
Canal side fence second circuit Chandler Josey Little 1411-0316/1Collided and fell
Canal side fence second circuitRat Trap John Frisby 11-079/1Collided and fell
British YeomanW Philpot11-10unquotedFate unrecorded
The Victim William Taylor 11-02unquotedFate unrecorded
Spring BuckT Smith10-12unquotedPulled up
The Iron Duke John Hanlon 510-12unquotedFate unrecorded
MeathJ Neale10-10unquotedFate unrecorded
MulliganCaptain John Westropp610-10unquotedFate unrecorded
Rory-Be-AisyMagee510-10unquotedFate unrecorded
Quadruped George Arran 10-08unquotedFate unrecorded
Bay Gelding By Laurel John Butler 10-08unquotedFate unrecorded
RainbowJ. Daly10-08unquotedFell at the post and rails in the fourth field where the rider suffered a broken thigh [3]
EvertonA Salt10-08unquotedFate unrecorded
ShinroneHenry? Bradley610-05unquotedFate unrecorded
SobrietyJ Thompson10-04unquotedFate unrecorded
Fisticuff Edwin Parr 10-00unquotedfate unrecorded
HopeMr H Hunter9-12unquotedFate unrecorded
Kilkenny William Holman 9-10unquotedFate unrecorded
Little FannyW Fowler9-0025/1Fate unrecorded
Johnnie BarrieR. Maitland9-00 {9-11}unquotedFate unrecorded
Pegasus John Tasker 8-10unquotedFate unrecorded
The Pony Dan Meaney 8-07unquotedFate unrecorded

[4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand National</span> English steeplechase horse race that takes place at Aintree Racecourse, Merseyside, England

The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse, Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap steeplechase over an official distance of about 4 miles and 2½ furlongs, with horses jumping 30 fences over two laps. It is the most valuable jump race in Europe, with a prize fund of £1 million in 2017. An event that is prominent in British culture, the race is popular amongst many people who do not normally watch or bet on horse racing at other times of the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 Grand National</span>

The 2001 Grand National was the 154th official running of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 7 April 2001. It went ahead as planned, despite the cancellation of the 2001 Cheltenham Festival, caused by the foot-and-mouth disease crisis.

The 1836 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the first of three unofficial annual precursors of a steeplechase which later became known as the Grand National.

The 1837 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the second of three unofficial annual precursors 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 4 March 1837 and attracted a field of four runners. This race did not carry the prestige of the future Grand Nationals and its status as an official Grand National was revoked some time between 1862 and 1873.

The 1841 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the third 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 3 March 1841 and attracted a then smallest ever field of 11 runners.

The 1842 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the fourth official annual running of a steeplechase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase, a horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on 2 March 1842 and attracted 15 runners.

The 1843 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the fifth official annual running of a handicap steeplechase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase handicap horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on Wednesday 1 March 1843 and attracted a field of 16 runners.

The 1844 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the ninth annual running of a handicap steeplechase, later to be regarded as the sixth official running of the Grand National Steeplechase, a horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on Wednesday 28 February 1844 and attracted a field of 16 runners from a field of 41 entrants. It was won by the 5/1 co favourite, Discount, ridden by John Crickmere.

The 1845 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the seventh annual running of a Handicap Steeple-chase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase, a horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on Wednesday 5 March 1845 and attracted a field of 15 runners. It was won by the unconsidered outsider Cure-All, ridden by William Loft in a record time of 10 minutes, 47 seconds.

The 1846 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase, was the eighth official annual running of a handicap steeplechase. It took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on 4 March 1846 and attracted a then-record field of 22 entrants. It was won by the unconsidered outsider Pioneer.

The 1847 Grand National Steeplechase was the ninth official annual running of a Handicap Steeple-chase horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on 3 March 1847 and attracted a then record field of twenty-six runners. It was won by Mathew, ridden by Denny Wynne in the colours of County Cork landowner, John Courtenay. This was the first time the race was officially named The Grand National Steeplechase, having previously been run under the title, Grand Liverpool Steeplechase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Grand National</span>

The 2007 Grand National was the 160th official annual running of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 14 April 2007 and attracted the maximum permitted field of forty competitors for a total prize money of £700,000 including £399,140 to the winner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 Grand National</span>

The 2004 Grand National was the 157th official annual running of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase which took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 3 April 2004 and attracted the maximum permitted field of 40 competitors for total prize money of £600,000 including £348,000 to the winner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 Grand National</span>

The 2002 Grand National was the 155th official renewal of the Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 6 April 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 Grand National</span>

The 2000 Grand National was the 153rd official renewal of the Grand National steeplechase that took place at Aintree Racecourse in England on 8 April 2000.

The 1849 Grand National Steeplechase was the 11th official annual running of a handicap steeplechase horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on Wednesday, 28 February. It attracted a field of twenty-four competitors for a prize valued at £825.

The 1852 Grand National was the 14th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 3 March 1852. The winning jockey, Alec Goodman, later rode the 1866 winner.

The 1851 Grand National was, at the time, the 14th renewal of a handicap steeplechase horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 26 February 1851. However, this was later retrospectively recorded as the 13th official running by the Steeplechase Calendar of 1864 when the race of 1838 was disregarded as official.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Grand National</span>

The 2014 Grand National was the 167th annual running of the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The showpiece steeplechase, which concluded a three-day meeting, took place on 5 April 2014. The maximum permitted field of 40 runners competed for a share of a record £1 million prize fund, which makes the National the most valuable jump race in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Grand National</span> 169th running of the Grand National horse race

The 2016 Grand National was the 169th annual running of the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. The showpiece steeplechase took place on 9 April 2016, the final day of a three-day meeting. A field of 39 runners competed for a share of a prize fund of £1 million.

References

  1. "Grand National Winners - Sportsbook Guardian". Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  2. "What's It Worth? Grand National Race Cards / Programmes - Horse Racing Collector". Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  3. Morning Advertiser, Thursday February 27th 1851, Page 6, Column 6
  4. "1850".