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Betting |
Bell’s Life and the Sporting Chronicle provided a detailed account of the race on Sunday 17th March 1861, the article forming the backbone of the information shown below.
The chase was set for 3.30, by which time all of the 24 acceptances had weighed out. However, it was another 30 minutes before the horses left the paddock to start the usual parade in front of the Grand Stand. At 4.30 the Earl of Sefton dropped the flag, Xanthus showing his customary early enthusiasm to set a merry gallop. Within half a mile Redwing had taken over from him, closely followed by The Freshman and The Rover. At the second fence the Irish Emigrant came to grief, trampling over his jockey Robert Sly, and knocking him unconscious for the next couple of hours. He was eventually taken to the Sefton Arms where he recovered later in the evening. Meanwhile Redwing increased his advantage over Beecher’s Brook by a dozen lengths, followed by Xanthus and The Freshman who took it abreast. At the succeeding post and rails fence Master Bagot jumped sideways and rolled over, lying motionless for some minutes, while at the next hedge and ditch Conductor refused. The field was reduced still further when The Freshman fell at Valentine’s Brook, at which point Xanthus regained the advantage over Redwing. The two took the gorse hurdles on the outer track together, and on to the artificial water jump in front of the stands. On to the second circuit Redwing was going the better, producing a good leap at Beecher’s to forge 3 lengths clear of Xanthus, Old Ben Roe and Bridegroom, while Jealousy was also beginning to make a move. After two more fences and the canal bridge turn, Jealousy joined Old Ben Roe to contest the lead, just ahead of Xanthus. Approaching the lane, Jealousy rested on Old Ben Roe’s quarters, getting her head in front between the final 2 fences, and quitting the other horse at the last hurdle to bound away and win in a canter by 2 lengths. The Dane came with a late rattle to save his owner’s stake, defeating Old Ben Roe by a length, with Bridegroom in fourth and Xanthus in fifth. |
