ii8 STEEPLECHASING 



now comparatively little injured. Wanderer won by 

 two lenofths. He was bred in Ireland, and was so little 

 thought of that perhaps his victory did not cause a five 

 pound note to be taken out of the ring. There was a 

 great falling off in the number of entries this year, and 

 owing to the severe weather postponements of the various 

 meetings had been frequent, whilst trainers experienced 

 the greatest difficulty in getting their horses into anything 

 like condition. 



1856 



Mr. Barnett's " Free Trader," aged, 9 st. 6 lb. G. Stevens i 

 „ Davenport's "Minerva," 6 yrs., 9 st. 10 lbs. R. Sly . . 2 

 „ G. Hudson's " Minos," aged, 9 st. 4 lb. . James . . 3 

 Twenty-one started. Betting: — 25 to i each Free Trader and 

 Minerva. 



The Liverpool meeting had heretofore occupied a 

 single day only, but this year it was extended over two 

 days, the Grand National being run on the second. It 

 should also be noted that Mr. Topham this year under- 

 took the management of the meeting. The winner. 

 Free Trader, belonging to Mr. Barnett, a Cheltenham 

 man, was ridden by George Stevens, who thus began 

 his series of five wins, while R. Sly, who rode the 

 second horse, was, I fancy, the same " Bob Sly " who 

 afterwards trained at Richard's Castle, in Shropshire. 

 There were a good many accidents in the race. Victor 

 Emmanuel fell at the second fence, and getting loose 

 ran riderless round the course, as did Major Browne's 

 Hall Court some years afterwards. In the second round 

 Banstead fell and dislocated his shoulder, while Dan 

 O'Connell fell at a fence by the canal side, and there 

 were other casualties during the race, which was run 

 at a very fast pace. Free Trader's owner is said to have 

 presented Stevens with ^500, as a reward for his able 

 and steady riding, and a few evenings later on, some 



