THE GRAND NATIONAL. 6i 



scarcely i8 inches high, that anyone could easily have 

 stepped over, and being formed of the same dark peaty 

 soil as the rest of the field, it was thought that the 

 horses were unable to see them in time. An ugly story 

 was current after the race that Captain D'Arcy, 

 owner and rider of Knight of Gwynne, who had 

 backed his horse for a laro-e amount, seeino- on comino- 

 into the straight that he had no possible chance 

 of winning, offered Cunningham, so the latter de- 

 clared, first, ^i,ooo, then ^4,000, to pull Peter 

 Simple — an offer which met with prompt refusal. 



There was some heavy wagering on the result, 

 Davis, the Leviathan, amongst other large bets, 

 laying Cunningham ^,000 to ;^o, that he didn't ride 

 or win on Peter Simple, and Captain D'Arcy, 

 5,000 to 100 that he didn't ride or win on The 

 Knight of Gwynne, and it is stated that the former 

 bet was settled within ten minutes after the race. 



