LIVERPOOL 87 



1840 



The greatest unpunctuality again took place this 

 year in connection with the Great Liverpool Steeple- 

 chase, which, although set for half-past one, was not 

 actually started until after three o'clock. The spectators, 

 many of them at least, profited by the experience of 

 1839, and came to the conclusion that if they reached 

 the course at half-past two they would be in plenty of 

 time, and so they were, as the riders were not weighed 

 out until just three o'clock. 



The attendance was again good, all the stands being 

 full ; but some little time before the great race was 

 started some amusement was caused to the occupants 

 of the grand stand by the sudden emptying of a small 

 structure close by. This was a private stand, but into it 

 some of the public crowded in good time. When, how- 

 ever, the rightful occupants arrived, great was their 

 astonishment to find the place thronged ; but on re- 

 presentations being made the unintentional intruders 

 quickly dropped from their perches to make way for 

 the claimants. 



The thirteen starters were : — 



Mr. Villebois ns " Jerry " Mr. Bretherton . i 



,, Barry's " Arthur " ,, A. McDonough 2 



,, Power's " Valentine " Owner ... 3 



Marquis of Waterford's " The Sea " . Owner ... 4 



Mr. W. Whittaker's " Cruickshank " . Guy .... 5 



Also ran : Lottery (J. Mason) ; Spolasci (Rose) ; The 

 Nun (Mr. Powell); Columbine (Mr. Won); Hasty 

 (Rigg) ; Seventy - Four (T. Olliver) ; Weathercock 

 (Barker) ; Augean (Christian). 



By virtue of his performance in the previous year 

 Lottery was favourite for some time before the day 



