This took place on Wednesday 1st March 1854 on good going and the weather was dull but clear. The winner was owned by William Moseley, trained by Henry Wadlow and ridden by John Tasker, winning by 15 lengths in 9 minutes 59 seconds, with 10 lengths back to the third.

GRAND NATIONAL 1854

There were 62 subscribers, of which 20 accepted at 20 sovereigns each. A further 100 sovereigns was added to the pot and, after the second saved his stake and 25 sovereigns were allocated for expenses, the net value of the pot was £695, with the winner receiving £655. (Equivalent to £76,600 in 2017)

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Pos. Horse Jockey Owner
1 BOURTON Tasker Mr Moseley
2 SPRING W Archer Mr Barber
3 CRABBS D Wynne Mr J Henderson
4 MALEY Thrift Mr Henderson
also LADY ARTHUR T Donaldson Mr Delamarre
also HALF-AND-HALF Green Mr Bignell
also BURNT SIENNA Burrows Mr Slater
also PETER SIMPLE C Boyce Mr Bignell
also OSCAR S Darling Mr T Mason
also PETER R Sly Jr. Mr Linnell
also BEDFORD Eatwell Mr Burling
also LA GAZZA LADRA T Abbott Mr J Williams
also MAURICE DALEY T Olliver Mr Cartwright
also STAR OF ENGLAND W White Mr Blood
also GERALDUS Debean Mr Barry
also PRIDE OF THE NORTH R James Mr Olliver
also COCKCROW Maher Lord Waterford
also TIMOTHY H Lamplugh Mr A Salt
also ROYALTY Ennis Captain Rhys
also SHILLIBEER E Southwell Lord Sefton
  Betting

Bell’s Life and the Sporting Chronicle provided a detailed account of the race on Sunday 5th March 1854, the article forming the backbone of the information shown below.
On being given the signal right on time, the lot went away almost in line, and charged the first fence in a body, Crabbs, Maley and Burnt Sienna showing the way over it. With the exception of Crabbs and Burnt Sienna changing places as each fence passed, the order remained constant until Beecher’s Brook was reached first time round. La Gazza Ladra refused at Beecher’s, causing Geraldus, Pride of the North and Timothy to do the same. After rounding the extreme flag, Burnt Sienna put on the steam and led over Valentine’s Brook half a dozen lengths in front of Crabbs, a similar distance separating the latter from Lady Arthur. The only alteration in positions at the front was Crabbs, with Denny Wynne content to settle amongst the second division. Geraldus, who had previously refused, began to make rapid progress over the flight of hurdles in the training ground near the distance post. Lady Arthur and Burnt Sienna were in the air together over the artificial water jump before Lady Arthur took up the running.
At the post and rails fence before Beecher’s a chapter of accidents occurred when Oscar was upset and knocked Peter off his stride. As they re-crossed Beecher’s Brook Burnt Sienna was leading by several lengths and setting a capital pace, but there was no material change after the far turning flag, over Valentine’s until half way across the ploughed field by the canal side when Burnt Sienna’s lead rapidly diminished and he was joined by Crabbs, Bourton, Spring, Maley and Peter Simple. As the field entered the straight Bourton appeared full of running and strode away from Spring in the commonest of canters to win by 15 lengths, with Spring holding a 10 length advantage over Crabbs. Maley finished fourth, Lady Arthur fifth, and Half and Half claimed sixth just in front of Burnt Sienna and Geraldus.

4/1 Bourton
5/1 Maurice Daley
8/1 Half-and-half
10/1 Crabbs
12/1 Peter Simple
15/1 Oscar
20/1 Spring
20/1 Peter
25/1 Cockcrow
25/1 Burnt Sienna
40/1 Timothy
50/1 Lady Arthur
50/1 Bedford
50/1 La Gazza Ladra
50/1 Star of England
50/1 Geraldus
50/1 Shillibeer
50/1 Pride of the North
50/1 Royalty
50/1 Maley
  Over round 103% Note that unquoted horses have been allocated 50/1

ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3

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774 former courses

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400 former courses

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180 pages

140 former courses

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264 pages

235 former courses

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