Captain Becher 



the heavyweight steeplechase at Aylesbury ; won the light- 

 weight on the same horse ; the first Liverpool on The Duke ; 

 the Worcester on Vivian ; and the Northampton on Wing ; 

 besides being second on Vivian to Red Deer at Egham, and 

 second on the same horse to Flacrow at Leamington ; the 

 Marquis on Yellow Dwarf and Lord Clanricarde on Carlow 

 being third and fourth respectively. 



In 1837 he won both the Dunchurch and Cheltenham 

 Steeplechases on Vivian, and was second on him to Jerry 

 at Leamington, whilst on Fieschi he won the big steeplechase 

 at Bath. 



The following year his riding seems to have fallen off, a 

 win on Vivian at Northampton, and second on the same horse 

 to Lottery at Daventry, being his only achievements worthy 

 of note. 



In 1839, Captain Becher had the mount in Conrad in the 

 first Grand National ever contested, and his horse refusing a 

 stiff post and rails, sent Becher flying over his head into the 

 ditch beyond, where, having formed up against the bank to 

 " receive cavalry," he remained until the rest had jumped over 

 him. The obstacle was subsequently christened *' Becher's 

 Brook," by which name it has been known ever since, and 

 probably will be to all time. 



Although principally identified with steeplechasing, the 

 Captain was perpetually " at it " across the flat, and what with 

 hurdle races, welter plates, and " cocked-hat " stakes, he led by 

 no means an idle life ; indeed, his winning collection of the 

 latter species of head-dress alone would almost have filled a 

 museum. He also crossed to France on occasion and won 

 several " Gentlemen Rider " races for the Prince of Moscow, 

 one of his great delights being to relate how he had puzzled 

 "Mossoo" by taking a horse over there to run, which he 



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