The Life of a Great Sportsman 



venture in an auspicious manner, decided on a steeplechase on 

 a grander scale than had hitherto been attempted, as the best 

 means of accomplishing their object, they little thought that 

 the result of their enterprise would be to lay the foundation- 

 stone, so to speak, of an event which had not only " come to 

 stay," as the saying is, but was actually destined in after 

 years to become a dangerous rival to the Derby in public 

 estimation. 



The conditions of " The Grand Liverpool Steeplechase," 

 as the new venture was styled, were as follows : — 



A SWEEPSTAKES of 20 sovs. each, 5 forfeit, with 100 added ; 12 st. each, 

 gentlemen riders ; four miles across the country ; the second to save his 

 stake, and the winner to pay 10 sovs. towards expenses ; no rider to open 

 a gate or ride through a gateway, or more than 100 yards along any road, 

 footpath, or driftway. 



There were twenty-nine jumps in all, of which the 

 majority seem to have been easy enough to negotiate ; the 

 exception being what is now known as Becher's Brook, from the 

 fact that the renowned rider of that name was thrown bodily 

 into it over his horse's head, which, had it been left as Nature 

 made it, would have been simply a ditch five or six feet in 

 width, with a slight drop and very little water, but as improved 

 by "art" became a very formidable affair; a strong timber 

 fence, 3 ft. high, being placed about a yard from the bank on 

 the taking-off side, so that a horse to get fairly over would 

 have to jump at least 24 ft., the difficulty being aggravated 

 by the ground from which it was approached being ploughed 

 land, which on this occasion was in a very heavy condition. 

 Another brook, described by the reporter of the period as "a 

 very decent jump," measured 8 ft., with timber in front; 

 whilst what is now known as Valentine's Brook, and which was 

 also approached from a ploughed field, consisted of a low bank, 

 with a deep ditch, and timber 3 ft. high, on further side, the 



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