166 THE ENGLISH TURF 



Manchester do their journey in about three-quarters of 

 an hour, making no stops and always running up to time. 

 In fact the traffic is admirably managed on all the lines, 

 and a feature of the Grand National day is that whole trains 

 of saloons are run from Manchester and elsewhere, the 

 saloons having been previously engaged by private parties. 

 These saloon trains are shunted into the sidings on arrival 

 at Aintree, and numerous parties partake of luncheon in 

 them before they walk to the course. And I have often 

 thought that Mr. Gladstone, the Liverpool clerk of the 

 course, must be exceedingly thankful that this custom of 

 lunching in the train has arisen, because otherwise it would 

 be impossible to provide luncheon in the County Stand for 

 all who would require it. 



The stands at Liverpool are not particularly new, but 

 they have been increased where practicable, and are so well 

 arranged that they can accommodate thousands of visitors. 

 The County Stand, formerly costing five but now seven 

 guineas a year, is exceedingly popular, and the local 

 magnates. Lord Derby, Lord Sefton, and others, have private 

 stands. There are also many private boxes, and no meeting 

 in the kingdom has better support of the right sort than 

 Liverpool. Members of the Royal Family are often present, 

 and it is quite customary to see a score at least of members 

 of the Jockey Club amongst the company. 



The course is on light sandy soil, which dries quickly in 

 wet weather, but at times it becomes very sloppy, and it 

 is not unusual to see pools of water at the low end of the 

 straight, near the final turn. The Steeplechase Course is 

 rather more than two miles round, two circuits of the course 

 making four miles and a half, this distance being used only 

 for the Grand National. The horses for that race are started 

 outside the paddock gate, just beyond the winning-post, 

 in similar manner to the St. Leger horses at Doncaster. 

 From the start the field go direct from the stands, the course 

 being straight for something like six furlongs. It then turns 

 left-handed, and gradually wends its way to the canal. At 

 this point the field is broadside on to the stands, but nearly 

 a mile off, and putting the light out of the question, the long 



