228 STEEPLECHASING 



1880 



Some of the evil prognostications which had been 

 rife concerning these steeplechases would appear to 

 have been verified this year, as three runners only came 

 to the post, while the occasion is noticeable from the 

 fact that the Grand National Steeplechase and the 

 Grand National Hunt Steeplechase were both run at 

 the same meeting — the Liverpool Spring. 1 he three 

 runners passed the post in the following order : — 



Mr. A. Peel's " New Glasgow," aged, 



12 St. 10 lb Capt. Smith . . i 



„ E. H. Wood's "Baker Pacha," 



6 yrs., 12 St. 10 lb „ Middleton . 2 



„ T. Calder's b.g. by The Mallard, 



aged, 12 St. 10 lb Mr. W. H. Moore 3 



Betting : — 1 1 to 8 New Glasgow ; 7 to 4 Baker Pacha ; 4 to i The 

 Mallard gelding. 



Baker Pacha was certainly the best-looking horse of 

 the trio, and he was unquestionably the biggest jumper, 

 for he cleared the water as though he had been going 

 at a house. At the first fence, however, he came down 

 through over-jumping himself, an accident which pro- 

 bably lost him the race, for he was going very strongly 

 at the finish. Although he made up ground very quickly 

 he could not catch New Glasgow, who won fairly easily 

 by four lengths. Mr. A. Peel, who owned the winner, 

 subsequently announced his intention of giving the whole 

 of the stakes, amounting to close upon ^400, to the 

 Duchess of Marlborough's Irish Relief Fund. 



1881 



About this time it occurred to the sportsmen of the 

 Midlands that they should have a race-course of their 



