FAMOUS CHASERS AND THEIR RIDERS. 367 



the question of running over the Aintree course has to be 

 considered, readers may easily judge. 



One of the worst animals that ever won the Grand National 

 was Casse Tete (1872), her success arising from the fact that 

 Ghe was befriended by a remarkable chapter of accidents. That 

 all-accomplished horseman, Mr. J. M. Richardson, was this 

 year on Schiedam, a chaser of exceptional merit, on which he 

 had w^on in a canter the Grand National Hunters' Race of 

 1870, and the Grand Annual at Warwick in the year following. 

 In the latter race he beat some remarkably good horses — Brick, 

 Tusculanum, The Doctor, and Pearl Diver — and was in fact 



Clearing the way. 



nevei extended. So easily did Schiedam win, that after jump- 

 ing the last hurdle he actually shied at a piece of white paper 

 lymg on the course near the winning-post. Mr. Richardson 

 has stated his belief that Schiedam was the best horse he ever 

 crossed ; and though less fit the year after, when his Warwick- 

 shire pilot rode him for Lord Eglinton in the Liverpool, his 

 chance seemed a great one. Schiedam, Casse Tete, Harvester, 

 Primrose, and Scarrington were going steadily and well with 

 the race between them when the greater part of the journey 

 had been made, and Mr. Richardson was lying between the 

 two latter, a couple of the safest jumpers ever known. Fur 



