herop:s and heroinp:s of 



Cannon Ball, and Lottery being amongst the fifty- 

 five entries, the new race caused, as was only natural, 

 great excitement in the world of sport. 



The first Grand National — or, to call it by its 

 original name : The Grand Liverpool Steeplechase 

 — was put down to be run on Tuesday, February 



26th, and that un- 

 usual interest was 

 taken in it was 

 shown by the large 

 number of visitors 

 who made their 

 way to the scene 

 of action. 



A turf writer of 

 the period thus de- 

 scribes the situa- 

 tion : — " hi the 

 course of Sunday 

 and Monday visitors poured in from all quarters, 

 and a high degree of excitement was manifested. 

 The race-course was visited by hundreds ; the line 

 of country inspected (for secrecy here is impossible) ; 

 the sporting houses were crowded to excess, and 

 one of theni — The Talbot — was honoured with the 

 presence of several Corinthians from Melton." 



CAPTAIN BECHER. 



