Gentlemen Riders 



horse and rider coming to the ground with great force. 

 Mr. Powell, to make matters worse, was badly kicked by 

 Cock-a-hoop just as he was rising from the ground. In the end, 

 The Duke, ridden by Captain Becher, after a good race won 

 by a length. With such a reputation as his, it would have 

 been odd had not Mr. Powell put in an appearance at Aintree 

 in 1839, on which memorable occasion the Grand National 

 Steeplechase was run for the first time. Hence he was seen 

 on the back of Captain Marshal's Railroad, who, however, did 

 no good in the actual race. 



The following year he rode the Nun for Lord McDonald, 

 the horse starting favourite at 3 to i ; but she fell at the 

 wall in front of the stand, and though quickly remounted, 

 proved to be so lame that Mr. Powell at once pulled her up. 

 The mare never recovered from the effects of the fall. 



In 1 84 1 the field for the Grand National numbered eleven, 

 and this time it was won by Mr. Powell, on Charity, nominated 

 by Lord Craven, beating Alan McDonough, on Cigar, by a 

 length, with Peter Simple third, half a length away. A quarter 

 of a mile from home only Charity and the two greys were 

 in it, a tremendous race home taking place between the trio. 

 It was anybody's race, in fact, until the last hurdle was 

 reached, when a scrimmage occurred, and Charity, gaining a 

 two lengths' advantage, went on and won, as has been already 

 described. 



The next year Mr. Powell was second in the Liverpool on 

 Lord Mostyn's Seventy-Four, a notorious rogue, who might 

 have won, it was said, had he waited, instead of forcing the 

 pace as he did during the latter part of the journey. 



In the Liverpool of 1844, Mr. Powell once more rode 

 Charity, now the property of Mr. Vevers, which, however, fell 

 in the water in front of the stand; and in 1845, i^ which year 



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