THE DEVELOPMENT OF STEEPLECHASING 169 



to a regular field before March 1831, when the St. 

 Albans steeplechase was run and won by Moonraker, 

 "" who had been bought, for ^18, with his sinews quite 

 calloused from hard work, out of a water-cart ; but he 

 could jump undeniably and cleared the Holloway 

 Lane in the course of an exercise canter." There is 

 mention of a steeplechase in France, in 1834, starting 

 " down the Rabbit Mount, a short but steep declivity 

 full of holes," over a river and across swampy meadows. 

 The first Liverpool Steeplechase was run on Monday, 

 February 29th, 1836, at Aintree. It was "a sweep- 

 stakes of 10 sovs. each, with eighty sovs. added, for 

 horses of all denominations ; 12 stones each ; gentlemen 

 riders. The winner to be sold for 200 sovs. if 

 demanded." Captain Becher, who gave his name to 

 " Becher's Brook," won on a horse called The Duke. 

 ''A strong recommendation to it was that nearly the 

 whole of the performance could be seen from the 

 Grand Stand " is noted by a writer who describes it. 

 The distance was twice round a two mile course. 

 The Grand National was started in 1839. This was 

 at first a sweepstake of 20 sovs. each, 100 added ; 12 

 stones each ; gentlemen riders ; four miles across 

 •country. That the course was not marked out as it is 

 now seems to be implied by the conditions : '' No 

 rider to open a gate, or ride through a gate-way, or 

 more than 100 yards along any road, footpath or drift- 

 way." The famous Jem Mason won on Lottery, a 

 perfect jumper. Two Irish horses, Rust and Naxon, 



