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Betting |
Bell’s Life and the Sporting Chronicle provided a detailed account of the race on Saturday 6th March 1869, the article forming the backbone of the information shown below.
After a lengthy parade which bored the majority of the crowd, the start was delayed twice by Hall Court, Fan and Gardener, the field eventually getting away at 3.38pm, fully 23 minutes after the advertised off of 3.15pm. The early pace setters were Hall Court, Globule, Fortunatus, Fan and Huntsman’s Daughter, but even before the first fence Despatch had forced his way to the front. An immense crowd gathered at the rails ditch hoping for action, but they could not have believed the spectacle they experienced when Fan slipped on landing and brought down Orme, Havelock and Bishopton. At the next, Guy of Warwick declined, as did Knave of Trumps, meaning the field was almost halved in number by the time Globule led over Beecher’s Brook, closely followed by QC, The Nun and Hall Court. At the bend before the canal side Globule continued to boss the field, although shortly afterwards Gardener took over at the front as the fallow field was covered. When the Stands water jump was reached it was the trio comprised of Globule, The Nun and Alcibiade who were at the head of affairs, a lead which they maintained over the next ploughed fields and enclosures. As the field raced around the final bend and entered the race ground Gardener and Alcibiade were on level terms, with QC, Hall Court, The Colonel, Huntsman’s Daughter and Despatch clustered behind. At the final hurdle The Colonel and Hall Court both met it wrong and hit the timber, knocking them out of their stride, but The Colonel was still full of running and eased clear to win by 3 lengths from Hall Court, a length in front of Gardener, Alcibiade, QC and Despatch. |
