290 IRISH SPORT AND SPORibAlJi,i.S. 



next day, carrying gst. ^Ib., he won the Second-class 

 of the Railway Stakes of 15 sovs. each, 5 sovs. ft., with 

 100 sovs. added. Lord Waterford was near winning 

 the Liverpool Grand National that year, with Sir John, 

 who started second favourite — 7 to 1 was the price — 

 list. 81b., and "Johnny" Ryan was on his back. 

 Two-and-thirty candidates contended for Grand Na- 

 tional honours and 950 sovs. At 5 to i Peter Simple 

 was favourite, although he carried top-weight (i2St. 

 2lb.) His old jockey, Cunningham, rode him, and he 

 won so cleverly the previous year, when he defeated a 

 field of three-and-twenty, that his party were ex- 

 tremely sanguine. Poor Wynne rode the Knight of 

 Gwynne ; his countryman, Mr. Abbot, was on the Irish 

 horse Farnham, "Johnnie" Hanlon steered The Iron 

 Duke, and a *' gallant" grey, The Oaks, did battle 

 for her owner; Mr. J. G. Murphy, of the Grange, 

 Summerhill, Canavan rode her; and the glory of 

 '* ould " Ireland, Abd-el-Kader by Ishmael, out of 

 English Lass (gst. i2lb.), was ridden by Green, and 

 was not backed for a shilling in the ring before the 

 race, but on entering the course the second time a 

 few who had the misfortune to mistake him for Little 

 Fanny, laid loo's to 3, 4, and 5 against him. One of 

 the " Irish brigade," as is almost invariably the case 

 in this race, caused a scrimmage at the very first 

 fence, as The Oaks cannoned against Peter Simple, 

 and, interfering with him, placed herself /lors de combat. 

 Abd-el-Kader made the pace a "cracker" along by the 

 canal, and held a long lead entering the straight. 

 Before the final flight of hurdles was reached, however, 

 Sir John had almost overhauled him ; the leader hit 

 the last obstacle very hard, still Green kept him on 



