BALLYMACAD
1917 “WAR NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE” WINNER
Celebrating the War National winner of 21 March 1917,
one hundred and six years since Sir George Bullough’s Ballymacad won
the
An in-depth
history written from first-hand research by
George W. Randall, co-founder in July 1996 and former
Vice Chairman Kinloch Castle Friends' Association.
*
“The three races at Gatwick are not always recognised as Grand Nationals -
their results often being omitted
from winner’s lists.”
(wikiwand – Grand National)
*
Sir George Bullough became joint Master of the Ledbury Hunt with Captain Peacocke in 1908, eventually becoming sole Master, a position he held until 1922,
the year his interests moved from steeple chasing into flat
racing based at Newmarket where he built a beautiful detached house adjacent to his flat race trainer
Jack Jarvis at Park House.
Sir George first registered his racing colours in 1910,
Eton blue and white stripes with Eton blue cap.
These were changed in 1911 to cerise, purple sleeves with
cerise cap, colours he retained until his death in 1939.
*
* The fourth time in the races history to 1913 the same owner
Sir George tried again on Friday, 27 March 1914
with two entries.
Regent ridden by Mr. H. W. T. Drake carrying 152-lbs. at 33/1 and his recently acquired six year old bay Ilston by Blankney out of Lady Rufford, purchased at the Sandown Park Bloodstock sale in December 1913 for 2,000 guineas (£2,100), and fresh from winning the
Grand National Trial Steeple Chase
by six lengths on 19 March, ridden by Ivor Anthony, also carrying 152-lbs. at 10/1.
Of the twenty entries only eight finished.
Despite winning the Liverpool Trial Handicap over
3 miles 2 furlongs by ¾ length on 19 February
Regent broke down. Ilston fell.
*
Sir George first registered his racing colours in 1910,
Eton blue and white stripes with Eton blue cap.
These were changed in 1911 to cerise, purple sleeves with
cerise cap, colours he retained until his death in 1939.
The Grand National Steeple Chase (Handicap)
is for horses 5 years old and upwards.
is for horses 5 years old and upwards.
The Aintree, Liverpool Course was described at this time as a "Left hand oval course of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 100 yards
(i.e. 2,520 yards), the far side gently declining,
the other rising from the Canal (turn) to the finish.
(i.e. 2,520 yards), the far side gently declining,
the other rising from the Canal (turn) to the finish.
There is a straight run of about 1,000 yards."
Sir George clearly set his heart on
winning the world’s premier
long
distance steeplechase handicap - the Grand National. *
His first
attempt was on Friday 29 March 1912 with seven year old bay gelding
Regent by Diamond Jubilee out of Western Flower ridden by Francis Morgan
carrying 148-lbs. at 66/1. With the going described as "sticky", of the
twenty four runners sixteen fell including Regent.
The winner Sir C. Assheton-Smith's Jerry M ridden by Ernest Piggott
at 4/1 against by six lengths in 10 minutes 13.4 seconds.
*Regent by Diamond Jubilee out of Western Flower ridden by Francis Morgan
carrying 148-lbs. at 66/1. With the going described as "sticky", of the
twenty four runners sixteen fell including Regent.
The winner Sir C. Assheton-Smith's Jerry M ridden by Ernest Piggott
at 4/1 against by six lengths in 10 minutes 13.4 seconds.
Sir George tried
again on Friday, 4 April 1913 with Regent ridden
by Mr. J. R.
Anthony carrying 161-lbs. at 66/1. Although conditions were
officially
recorded as “Going Good” twenty
The third horse
to finish, also by a distance, was Carsey ridden by Mr. H. W. T.
Drake
who fell but was
remounted. The winner by six lengths in 10 minutes 19 seconds was
Sir C.
Assheton-Smith’s* seven year old bay gelding Covercoat by Hackler
out of Cinnamon ridden by Percy Woodland carrying 160-lbs. at 100/9.
out of Cinnamon ridden by Percy Woodland carrying 160-lbs. at 100/9.
* The fourth time in the races history to 1913 the same owner
had won on successive years.
 |
1913 Grand National - The Canal Turn - Good
Going - 22 of the 63 entries ran.
It was here 7 year old Covercoat
ridden by P. Woodland carrying 160-lbs. at 100/9 took the lead to win by a
distance from Irish Mail. In 1913 the winner received £3,500 plus a trophy value £125.
(Image from: The Grand National by Graham and Curling) Value of money 2017 compared to 1917.
The British pound experienced an average inflation rate of 4.26%
per year between 1917 and 2017.
£1,000 in 1917 equates to £64,640 in 2017. (Almost 65 times.)
(UK Office for National Statistics)
*
|
 |
| (George W. Randall Research Archive) |
with two entries.
Regent ridden by Mr. H. W. T. Drake carrying 152-lbs. at 33/1 and his recently acquired six year old bay Ilston by Blankney out of Lady Rufford, purchased at the Sandown Park Bloodstock sale in December 1913 for 2,000 guineas (£2,100), and fresh from winning the
Grand National Trial Steeple Chase
by six lengths on 19 March, ridden by Ivor Anthony, also carrying 152-lbs. at 10/1.
Of the twenty entries only eight finished.
Despite winning the Liverpool Trial Handicap over
3 miles 2 furlongs by ¾ length on 19 February
Regent broke down. Ilston fell.
 |
| Mr. T. Tyler's Sunloch at 100/6 wins the 1914 Grand National. |
*
With
restrictions due to the war, particularly public use of the railways,
it was only a
small crowd who witnessed Lady Margaret Nelson become the first woman
to own a Grand National winner with her five
year old Ally Sloper, trained by the Honourable
Aubrey Hastings and ridden by Mr. J. R. Anthony
Sir George's
1915 entries were: Seven year old Distaff, a mare
by Hackler out of Circe, ridden by thirty-seven
year old Ernest Piggott, Grand National
winning jockey in 1912, carrying 150-lbs. at 25/1; eight year
old Denis Auburn by General Peace or Denis
Richard out of Auburn's
Pride, ridden by Jack Reardon carrying 133-lbs. at 33/1; and seven year
old Ilston ridden by Ivor Anthony carrying
162-lbs.
at 33/1. Ilston and Denis
Auburn fell, Distaff was pulled-up.
 |
| Ally Sloper passes the post to win the 1915 Grand National at Aintree held on the 26th March. |
Shortly
following the 1915 Grand National the Army requisitioned the Aintree course
rendering it unavailable to hold the 1916, and, eventually the 1917 and 1918
rendering it unavailable to hold the 1916, and, eventually the 1917 and 1918
Springtime event for the first time since its inaugural run in 1839.
If the race was
to take place in 1916 a new venue had to be found.
The site chosen
was Gatwick, near London. A highly popular course at the time,
Gatwick opened
in 1891 and closed in 1940; today the land forms part of the
International
Airport which bears its name.
The Gatwick
Course was described as being “Right handed.
The Mile course
perfectly straight, almost level; after the winning post it bends
round a slight incline and forms a long oval
of one mile 7 furlongs
(i.e. total 3,300 yards), joining the Straight Course at
5 furlongs.
There is also a
kite-shaped course of 1½ miles,
starting and finishing in front of the stands.”
The
three Gatwick War Nationals were organised by the National
Hunt Committee
and ran under
National Hunt Rules with no input from the Aintree executive
or Jockey Club.
Mr. Edward
Topham, from the Aintree Course, played an advisory role in staging
the War
Nationals while the twenty-nine birch fences were built
under the watchful eyes of five leading
trainers of the day.
Many changes
were made to the course to make it as close as possible
to the one at Aintree.
*
THE 1916 SUBSTITUTE GRAND NATIONAL
RACECOURSE ASSOCIATION STEEPLE CHASE
(HANDICAP)
The 1916 Gatwick
March Meeting was a two day event, eight races over
the flat
The substitute
Grand National, officially called, the Racecourse
Association Steeple Chase (Handicap) ran on the first
day and attracted forty-one entries
of which
twenty-one ran.
Conditions were
described as “Heavy Going”.
Sir George
Bullough ran his nine year old Denis Auburn
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
BALLYMACAD Pedigree
ridden by Edmund
Driscoll at odds of 8/1. Entering the final straight Denis
Auburn
was leading but
rapidly tiring. He was soon overtaken by Vermouth,
who went on to
win by two lengths at 100/8 in 10 minutes 22 seconds.
Denis Auburn finished fifth.
Lady
Nelson’s Ally
Sloper, winner in 1915, finished sixth.* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
BALLYMACAD Pedigree
Ballymacad, bred by
Mr. James J. Maher at his Confey Stud in County
Dublin , Ireland
The 1917 “War
National” Steeplechase at Gatwick
was Ballymacad’s fourteenth race in Sir George’s colours.
*
LAVENO (Ballymacad’s Sire)
Bred
by the Duke of Westminster
 |
| Laveno (Sporthorse-Data) |
Laveno a bay colt born in 1892 by Bend Napoli by Macaroni.
His sire, Bend
Or, a chestnut born 1877 by Doncaster out
of Rouge
Rose, was bred and owned by Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke
of Westminster. Bend
Or had
ten wins from his fourteen starts, including the 1879 Chesterfield Stakes and
Richmond Stakes, the 1880 St. James’ Palace Stakes and Derby Stakes and the
1881 City and Suburban Handicap and Champion Stakes. He finished a
good second to Robert the Devil, (winner in 1880 of the St. Leger
Stakes and Ascot Gold
Cup), in the Champion Stakes.
Bend Or died on 10
January 1903 .
Other paternal
sires of note in Laveno’s pedigree include Lord Exeter’s Stockwell
(1849), winner of eleven races from thirteen starts including the St. Leger
Stakes and
2,000 Guineas Stakes; The Baron (1842) winner of the St. Leger Stakes
and Cesarewitch Stakes; Teddington (1848) winner of the Derby Stakes,
Doncaster Cup and the Emperor of Russia Cup; and Thormanby (1857)
winner of the Derby Stakes, Gimcrack Stakes and Ascot Gold Cup.
2,000 Guineas Stakes; The Baron (1842) winner of the St. Leger Stakes
and Cesarewitch Stakes; Teddington (1848) winner of the Derby Stakes,
Doncaster Cup and the Emperor of Russia Cup; and Thormanby (1857)
winner of the Derby Stakes, Gimcrack Stakes and Ascot Gold Cup.
Laveno stood at
Eyrefield Lodge, Curragh Camp, Ireland to a
“limited number of approved mares”.
“limited number of approved mares”.
His fee in 1904 was 45 guineas plus one guinea for the groom.
Of his progeny
his fillies proved better flat racers than his colts,
his sole classic
winner being Topstone, born 1901, in the Irish Oaks.
His daughters
were especially successful as brood mares,
with the bay colt Craganour out of Veneration by Desmond winning the
New Stakes, Champagne Stakes, Middle Park Stakes and Newmarket Stakes.
Craganour was exported toArgentina
The fillies Glorvina, born 1911 by Desmond, won the Ascot Gold Vase and
Nassovian, born 1913 by William the Third, won the Princess of Wales’ Stakes.
with the bay colt Craganour out of Veneration by Desmond winning the
New Stakes, Champagne Stakes, Middle Park Stakes and Newmarket Stakes.
Craganour was exported to
The fillies Glorvina, born 1911 by Desmond, won the Ascot Gold Vase and
Nassovian, born 1913 by William the Third, won the Princess of Wales’ Stakes.
Laveno was in the
league of Top Twenty Winning Sires three times
and headed the list in 1903.
and headed the list in 1903.
In addition
to Ballymacad, Laveno sired several successful
steeple chasers,
including: Lavisher, Last Hope II and Laveline. His flat race winners including:
Laveno Mare born 1906, Lavetta born 1908, Lavaine a colt born 1909,
Lavanda a filly born 1910 and Laveno II born 1910, the latter selling for
340 guineas after winning the Long Course Selling race at Newmarket
in May 1913. Laveno died on12
August 1909 at the age of seventeen.
including: Lavisher, Last Hope II and Laveline. His flat race winners including:
Laveno Mare born 1906, Lavetta born 1908, Lavaine a colt born 1909,
Lavanda a filly born 1910 and Laveno II born 1910, the latter selling for
340 guineas after winning the Long Course Selling race at Newmarket
in May 1913. Laveno died on
BALLYMACARNEY (Ballymacad’s Dam) - Owned by Mr. James J. Maher
Born 1897 by Royal
Meath out
of Cinnamon by Concha, Ballymacarney’s paternal
sires of particular note include Lord Henry Chaplin’s Hermit (1864)
winner of the 1867 Derby Stakes, a powerful horse of exceptional confirmation
who suffered from Epistaxis, bleeding from the nose; Newminster (1848)
winner of the 1851 St. Leger Stakes; Melbourne (1834)
a leading sire in Britain with a gentle disposition and the propensity to pass
on good feet and legs; Neasham (1848) who ran a good third to Teddington in
the 1851 Derby Stakes and Champion Sire Touchstone (1831)
winner of the St. Leger Stakes, Doncaster Cupand Ascot Gold
Cup on two occasions.
Ballymacarney
foaled several other steeple-chase winners, including Ballyhackle born
1903, Ballymaccoll born
1904, Ballymadun born
1906 and Ballyhist born
1908.
Ballymacarney, covered by St.
Gris (by Galopin),
“the property of
Mr. James J. Maher”, was sold at Messrs Robert J. Goff & Company’s Blood Stock Sale
at the Curragh, Ireland, on 18 April 1912
to Mr. F. Hardy for 130 guineas.
Ballymacarney did not foal any flat race winners.
****** * ******
Following
purchase by Sir George Bullough in early 1912,
Ballymacad was
entrusted to thirty-four year old the
Honourable
Aubrey Craven Theophilius Robin Hood Hastings,
third son of the
Thirteenth Earl of Huntingdon,
at his Barcelona
Yard Stables, Wroughton, Wiltshire,
to be trained as
a steeple chaser.
Aubrey Hastings
was an all-round horseman;
an excellent
polo player who won the All Ireland Open Cup,
Rugby Open Cup,
Roehampton Cup, County Cup,
and Junior Championship at
Roehampton.
Sir George
clearly chose his trainer well.
Hastings was
already an established rider and manager of steeple
chasers,
having trained and ridden Prussian Prince Franz von Hatzfeldt’s Ascetic’s Silver
having trained and ridden Prussian Prince Franz von Hatzfeldt’s Ascetic’s Silver
to success in the 1904 Irish Grand
National and, after a false start,
the Grand National
in 1906. He also trained Lady Nelson's Ally Sloper
Grand National
winner in 1915
and later Lord Arlie's Master Robert, the 1924 winner.
*
HELD AT GATWICK RACE COURSE 21 MARCH 1917
*
DETAILED FIRST-HAND RESEARCH BY GEORGE W. RANDALL
Text Copyright © GWR Research Archive.
 |
| Gatwick Racecourse Grandstand. The Band Stand - centre - was relocated following closure of the course and remains in use at nearby Crawley, West Sussex. (Crawley Cyclopedia) |
Winner to
receive £1,065 and a Cup value £100,
added to a Sweepstakes of £20 each
acceptor. For 5 year olds and upwards.
Second receives £100, and third £50
out of the race; entry fee £5.
(Racing Calendar - Steeple Chases Past - 1917 - Weatherby & Sons)
For the second year running hostilities necessitated the Grand
National to be transferred from its home course at Aintree, Liverpool, to
Gatwick Racecourse, near London, the land today being part of Gatwick
International Airport.
 |
| The 1917 War National Trophy. The lid inscribed “Ballymacad Winner War National 1917.” |
Run under National Hunt Rules and called the ‘War National’
Steeple Chase (Handicap), the Gatwick course was 4 miles 856 yards long, the
same as at Aintree. Open to horses of five-years-old and upwards, the winner to
receive a purse of £1,065 and a Cup value £100, second £100 and third £50,
added to a Sweepstakes of £20 each acceptor.
The “Chronicle” reported
that “the obstacles had been stiffened considerably for the race, as was the
case last year. The Gatwick Course comprises twenty-nine jumps, one less than
at Aintree, and on both courses the open ditches are taken seven times and the
big water jump once. (At Gatwick) the water jump is three feet high with a
thirteen foot width of water against at 3 feet 1 inch and 16 feet at Aintree.”
Bitterly cold, with snow falling at frequent intervals between all
too brief moments of sunshine, the going was officially described as “heavy
with intermittent snow showers”. The nineteen runners out of an entry of
thirty-eight, described by the Sporting Chronicle as “the cream of jumpers from
all over the country”, lined up ready for the “Off” on Wednesday 21 March,
1917, the First Day of Spring!
At the “Off” it was Major D. Dixon’s “brilliant cross-country
performer” eight-year-old Irish bred bay gelding Templedowney by Bushey Park
out of Galway Girl, winner of the 1915 Scottish Grand National run at Ayr, Scotland, (who subsequently
fell), ridden by Thomas Hulme carrying 175-lbs at 25/1, who led for the first
mile with forty-two year old Edmund Walter Driscoll in the cerise, purple
sleeves and cerise cap colours of Sir George Bullough bringing up the rear on ten year old bay gelding Ballymacad,
carrying 138-lbs. at 100/9.
No change occurred until passing the stand for a second time when
Mr. D. Stuart’s seven-year-old bay gelding Carrig
Park by Succoth or Bushey Park out of Ardcarrig, ridden by Charles Hawkins carrying 160-lbs. at 7/2 also
fell. Colonel Birkin’s nine-year-old bay mare Queen Imaal by Denis Richard
out of a mare described as “by Brown
Prince” at 25/1, who eventually finished sixth, and Mr. G. Jones’
twelve-year-old bay gelding Blow Pipe
by Bird of Paradise out of Ballista at 40/1, who finished fifth,
then headed Templedowney, who shortly
afterwards regained the lead.
Seven furlongs from home Ballymacad
and Blow Pipe raced past Templedowney who fell soon afterwards.
At the final fence, Mr. E. W. Paterson’s seven-year-old American
bred bay gelding Limerock by Rock Sand** out of Annoy Lyle at 40/1, ridden by William J. Smith, jumped into the
lead but slipped and fell a few yards after landing.
Ballymacad went on to win by eight lengths from Mr. H. Trimmer’s seven year
old Chang by Cupid out of Threnody ridden
by William Smith carrying 135-lbs. at 11/2, in 10 minutes 12.4 seconds, an
average speed of 26.4 mph. Lady Nelson’s eight-year-old bay/brown gelding Ally Sloper* by Travelling Lad out
of Sally in our Alley at 20/1, ridden
by Ivor Anthony carrying 164-lbs. at 20/1 and Aintree Grand National winner in 1915, was third by four lengths.
 |
| Open Ditch at Gatwick. Mr. P. F. Heybourne’s seven-year-old bay gelding Vermouth by Barcadaile out of a dam by Bushey Park at 8/1 finished fourth, Blow Pipe fifth, Colonel R. L. Birkin’s nine-year-old bay mare Queen Imaal by Denis Richard out of a dam described as “by Brown Prince” at 25/1 sixth, Lord Suffolk’s eight-year-old chestnut gelding Father Confessor by St. Gris out of Entrenous at 40/1 seventh, Mr. H. Trimmer’s nine-year-old bay gelding Charlbury by Succoth out of May Hack by Hackler at 40/1 eighth and Lord Lonsdale’s six-year-old chestnut colt Yellow Chat by Chatsworth out of Yella at 100/12 in ninth place, followed by Mr. Eric Platt’s ten-year-old Irish Mail second by two lengths to six year old Vermouth in the 1916 Racecourse Association Steeple Chase, and Mr. F. Bibby’s twelve-year-old Thowl Pin who was unplaced in 1916. |
 |
| Two of the four racing plates worn by Ballymacad Winner of War National 1917. |
Of the nineteen starters, eleven successfully completed the
course.
Sir George Bullough’s second entry, ten year old Denis Auburn by General Peace or Denis Richard out of Auburn’s Pride ridden by thirty-two year old Roger “Tiny” Burford carrying 144-lbs. at 40/1 was one of the nine horses recorded as falling or being “pulled up.” The others being: 8 year old Templedowney, 10 year old Hackler’s Bey, 8 year old Gristhorpe, 7 year old Limerock, 8 year old Kenia, 7 year old Carrig Park, “who had been brought over from Ireland at the beginning of the Hunt season and won three races right off against good fields, his last six efforts resulting in as many wins”, and Mr. P. S. Adams’ 7 year old chestnut gelding Fargue.
 |
| Sir George Bullough gave his winnings to St. Dunstan's Hospital for blinded soldiers and sailors. |
* NOTE: Ally Sloper by Travelling Lad out of Sally
in our Ally, born 1909,
was sold as a yearling by Mr. C. J. C. Hill at the Doncaster Blood Stock Sale on Thursday 8 September 1910 to Mr. Sugden Armitage for 25 guineas.
His first steeple chase was at Newbury onWednesday 27 November 1912 in the
Hamptonshire Maiden Hurdle Race in the name of Mr. H. Randall.
was sold as a yearling by Mr. C. J. C. Hill at the Doncaster Blood Stock Sale on Thursday 8 September 1910 to Mr. Sugden Armitage for 25 guineas.
His first steeple chase was at Newbury on
There is no
record of a public sale to Lady Nelson in whose name Ally Sloper
**
Exported to America, English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand, born 1910, was a paternal grand sire of Man o’ War
and sire of Teabiscuit dam of Hard Tack, sire of Seabiscuit.
 |
| The Paddock at Gatwick. (Photograph by Chris Pitt) |
 |
| GWR RESEARCH ARCHIVE |
 |
NOTE: There is
no record of Ballymacad racing in 1914 or 1915
in The Racing Calendar for 1914 or 1915 (steeplechases or flat races) published by Weatherby and Sons for the Jockey Club. GWR RESEARCH ARCHIVE |
The 1918 Gatwick
War National Meeting, also a mixture of races over the flat and jumps, was held on
Wednesday and Thursday 20 and 21 March.
The substitute Grand National ran on second day as
the War National Steeple Chase (Handicap) and attracted
thirty-eight entries
of which
seventeen ran. Conditions were described as “Good Going”.
Following his success in 1917, Sir
George Bullough entered Ballymacad,
now eleven years
old and his nine year old, Simon the Lepper.
Ballymacad finished
third and Simon the Lepper eighth.
 |
| Gatwick Course and Grandstand on Race Day. The Bandstand was relocated to Queen's Square, in nearby Crawley where it is still in use. (Condo Hotel Centre) |
1918 “WAR NATIONAL” STEEPLE CHASE
(HANDICAP)
DETAILED
REPORT COMPILED BY GEORGE W. RANDALL
- Copyright © GWR Research Archive -
Sir George Bullough entered 11
year old Ballymacad ridden by Ivor
Anthony carrying 157-lbs. at 7/1 and 9 year old Simon the Lepper, ridden by Roger Burford carrying 140-lbs. at
50/1.
*
For the third successive year
hostilities prevented the Grand National being held at Liverpool, where
the Aintree course remained under requisition by the War Ministry.
Gatwick Racecourse therefore
again hosted the substituted ‘War National’ Steeple Chase (Handicap), the
length of the course being the same as at Aintree, 4 miles 856 yards and run
under National Hunt Rules.
Conditions were declared good as
the seventeen runners from an entry of thirty-eight took their starting
positions on Thursday the 21 March 1918 for another First Day of Spring
National.
At
the “Off” all made a good clean break.
At the second fence Lady Nelson’s
eight-year-old bay/brown gelding Ally Sloper
by Travelling Lad out of Sally in Our Alley at 5/1, (winner in
1916 and 3rd in the 1917), blundered, unseating his jockey,
John Walsh, who remounted to finish sixth.
Captain Brian Bibby’s seven-year-old
brown gelding Wavertree by Wavelet’s Pride out of Kendal Lily at 5/1, ridden Edmund
Driscoll who rode Ballymacad to
victory in 1917, fell at a small obstacle preceding the Ditch. Mr. H. Trimmer’s
ten-year-old bay gelding Charlbury by
Succoth out of May Hack by Hackler at
33/1 then led Mr. F. R. Hunt’s ten-year-old bay/brown gelding Captain Dreyfus
by Santoi out of Madame Dreyfus at 20/1, who finished second, Mr. F. W. Parnell’s
eight-year-old chestnut gelding Top Hole
by Caedmon out of Childish at 50/1, Mr. H. Denison’s ten-year-old
bay mare Queen Imaal by Denis Richard out of a dam described as
by Brown Prince at 50/1, Ballymacad and the ultimate winner, Mrs.
Hugh Peel’s eight-year-old bay gelding Poethlyn
by Rydal Head out of Fine Champagne at 5/1 etc.
After the first ten furlongs Captain Dreyfus headed Charlbury.
At the water jump, Top Hole jumped into the lead.
There were no further changes
until they passed the stands for the second time when Charlbury briefly regained the lead before falling.
Entering the straight the pace of
Queen Imaal, Top Hole, Mr. P. F. Heybourn’s eight-year-old bay gelding Vermouth by Barcadaile out of a dam by Bushey
Park at 12½/1, Mrs. Douglas Stuart’s eight-year-old chestnut gelding Sergeant Murphy by General Symons out of Rose
Graft at 40/1, and Mr. F. S. Watt’s eight-year-old chestnut gelding Chang by Cupid out of Threnody at 12½/1, all collapsed, leaving Captain Dreyfus clear of Poethlyn.
Two fences from home Poethlyn, trained by Mr. H. Escott,
ridden by Ernest Piggott, (grand-father of Lester Piggott), carrying 160-lbs.
at 5/1 jumped into the lead ahead of Captain
Dreyfus.
Poethlyn went on to win by four lengths in
9 minutes 50.4 seconds, from Captain
Dreyfus with Ballymacad in third
place by over a distance.
Mr. Barclay Walker’s
seven-year-old bay gelding Berneray
at 100/7 was fourth, Mr. Ernest Salter Wills’ seven-year-old chestnut colt Mark Back by Marcovil out of Oliveback
at 40/1 fifth, Chang sixth, Vermouth seventh, Sir George Bullough’s
second entry, Simon the Lepper at
50/1, ridden by Roger Burford finished eighth and Mr. T. M. McAlpine’s
seven-year-old bay gelding Shaun Spadah
by Easter Prize out of Rusialka at 10/1 in ninth
place.
Of the seventeen starters, two,
namely Ally Sloper and Wavertree, fell.
[Poethlyn also won the 1919 National,
making three National wins for
Ernest Piggott - 1912, 1918 and 1919.]
 |
| Gatwick Racecourse Paddock Inspection. (Collector-Sport, Croydon) * It is regrettable historians of this world famous steeplechase choose not to recognise the 1916, 1917 and 1918 races run in the middle of the Great War, descriptions and even the results often being omitted from lists of winners. Grand National purists could not be more scathing about the three “War Time” Grand Nationals, dismissing them as the “three so-called substitute races……run on a course bearing no resemblance to Aintree……”  |
It was through
no fault of the trainers or owners that after
years of preparation for the great
race, they, and their horses, should be denied their place in the history
of the world’s
most famous steeple chase.
Whilst the
Gatwick substitute Grand National Course was the same length as Aintree,
4 miles 856
yards, it ran right handed. The twenty-nine specially built fences under the supervision of leading jockeys of the day, the highest
being
4 feet 10
inches, were considered “not as difficult as those at Aintree.”
Whilst lack of “difficulty”
regards the fences might be interpreted as not being a test of stamina, the distance
alone is a test of staying power with that all important reserve of strength to
win in the home
straight often by the narrowest of margins.
Whether the
Gatwick course bore any resemblance to Aintree or not, by which the purists
undoubtedly wish to imply that although the distance was the same the fences
were by no means as testing, the winner of the 1915 Aintree Grand National,
Lady Nelson’s Ally Sloper, was beaten into
third place by Ballymacad in 1917 and
blundered in 1918unseating his
jockey, the year Ballymacad finished
in third place!
Maybe this alone
says more for “luck” on the day than anything else.
Recall, the
nineteen runners were described by the Sporting Chronicle as
“the cream of
jumpers from all over the country” as they lined up for the “Off”
on Wednesday 21
March, 1917 - at that point they all stood an equal chance of winning. |
| The 1917 War National Trophy. The lid inscribed “Ballymacad Winner War National 1917.” |
BALLYMACAD'S COMPLETE RACING CAREER
 |
| Compiled by George W. Randall IN OWNERSHIP OF SIR GEORGE BULLOUGH:- |
 |
Compiled by George W. Randall |
REFERENCES:
Dams of Winners
1915-1947 - H. E. Keylock 1952
Racing Calendar
(Steeple Chases) - Annual Editions 1910 to 1922
Sporting Chronicle
Racing Up-to-Date - Annual Editions 1910 to 1922
Pedigree on Line
– Thoroughbred Data Base
Collector Sport,
Croydon
Bidssquare.com
wikiwand – Grand National
wikiwand – Grand National
GWR Research
Archive 1992 - 2017
Racing Through
the Midlands.com
Randox Health
Grand National Media Guide 2017
Hathi Trust
Digital Library
www.british-caledonian.com
Crawley
Encyclopædia
Condo Hotel
Centre
The Grand National - Clive Graham and William Curling 1972
The Grand National - Clive Graham and William Curling 1972
Horse Racingh -
J. A. Allen 1953
Racing Life of
Lord George Bentinck - John Kent 1893
BBC News
New Zealand Herald - May 1917
Christ Church Press - March 1917
New Zealand Herald - May 1917
Christ Church Press - March 1917
Jockeypedia
UK Office of National Statistics
Randox Health Grand National Festival 2017
UK Office of National Statistics
Randox Health Grand National Festival 2017
Grand National
Guide
The Bloodstock
Breeders’ Review - Annual Editions1912-1922
They’re Off -
Autobiography - Jack Jarvis
Between the
Flags - S. J. Watson 1969
Portrait of a
Sport - Elizabeth Watson 1957
Graham Budd Auction House
Sotheby's Auction House
Graham Budd Auction House
Sotheby's Auction House
 |
Welbeck silver plate trophy for the 1917 War National
retailed by The Alexander Clark Company, Ltd., London.
Inscribed: WAR NATIONAL, GATWICK 21st MARCH 1917
with the names of the first three placed horses:
Ballymacad, Chang and Ally Sloper.  |
........................................
Originally posted on 21 March 2017 to celebrate the centenary of
Updated 5 April 2023
THE 1917 “WAR NATIONAL” STEEPLECHASE (HANDICAP)
HELD AT GATWICK RACE COURSE ON 21 MARCH 2017
Updated 5 April 2023
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