THE  GRAND  NATIONAL  1892  -  CANAL  TURN
 by Godfrey  Douglas  Giles  (1857 - 1941

Researched, written and illustrated by George W. Randall  co-founder in July 1996 and former Vice Chairman Kinloch Castle Friends' Association

The Grand National Course at Aintree, near Liverpool, comprises two circuits,

 over thirty jumps covering a distance of 4 miles 856 yards. 

The first race took place in 1836 when four horses ran, two finished, the winner being ‘The Duke’ ridden by Captain Martin Beecher and owned by Mr. Sirdefield,

 landlord of The George Inn, at nearby Great Crosby.

THE PAINTING

G. Douglas Giles’ painting depicts the 1892 National, in which twenty-five horses ran. The winner, in 9 minutes 48.2 seconds was ‘Father O’Flynn’, ridden by Captain E. Roddy Owen and owned by Colonel Gordon Wilson, a dashing young officer in the Household Cavalry who had attracted the attention of Queen Victoria when he ran out to stop an attempt on her Majesty’s life.

This painting is displayed in the Manager’s Quarters at  Kinloch Castle.

 It was recorded by Auctioneers and Valuers Phillips of Scotland in their 

1996 Inventory of Contents as follows: 

“Coloured print ‘Steeplechase’ in an ebonised frame. Value £50.”

Captain Owen was in his mid-thirties when he rode seven-year-old 

‘Father O’Flynn’ to victory in the 1892 Grand National. (Photograph above).

Roddy Owen had come close to victory in 1891, when, riding ‘Cloister,’

he finished second in a “thrilling race” to ‘Come Away’ 

ridden by Mr. H. Beasley, an objection by Owen for jostling being overruled.

‘Cloister’ was a high-class horse 
and with this performance became favourite for the 1892 National.

It was therefore a big disappointment to Owen not to be the mount chosen by 
Arthur Yates, ‘Cloister’s’ trainer.

Despite this, 1892 was to be Captain Owens’ year, as he raced ‘Father O’Flynn’ 

home, carrying 12 stone* 7-lbs. to win easily from ‘Cloister,’ 

ridden by Mr. J. C. Dormer, 

followed by A. Nightingall on ‘Ilex’ and G. Williamson on ‘Ardcarn.’

‘Father O’Flynn’ was born in 1885 by ‘Retreat’ by the renowned ‘Hermit.’ 

He was only a small horse, standing barely 15.3 hands. 

Initially owned by Lord Cholmondeley,

 he had proved of little worth on the flat and was sold after his only win,

 a Two-Year-Old Selling Race at Aintree.

 But ‘Father O’Flynn’ was to have his day. 

He went on not only to win the 1893 

Grand National, but to do it in record time, 9 minutes 32.4 seconds 

from a field of fifteen runners.

* NOTE: One Stone equals 14-lbs.

THE ARTIST - GODFREY DOUGLAS GILES

Godfrey Douglas Giles was born in Karachi on the 9^th of November 1857, 

at the time under the rule of the British East India Company, and today, Pakistan. 

His father was a captain in the British Royal Navy based at Karachi. 

As a boy Godfrey attended Cheltenham College, a boarding school founded in 1841 

“to educate the sons of gentlemen”, its curriculum based on “classical, military 

and sporting traditions.” 

In 1875, after attending the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in order to 

“launch his military career”, he was posted, aged barely eighteen, to India where 

he saw action in the Second Afghan War with the 1^st Sind Horse and 19^th Native 

Infantry, seeing action in the Battle of Maiwand in July 1880. He painted a scene 

from the one day engagement which was exhibited in 1893. 

He later served in Egypt – the General Gordon Relief Expedition - and South Africa, 

retiring as a Major in 1884.

Giles studied painting at the Paris studio of Carolus Duran, born in Lille, France, 

in 1837. Working in oils, watercolour and pastels he painted hunting and racing 

scenes in addition to battle panoramas. 

His racing pictures are noted for depicting “the inelegant full-stretch gallop” 

of the horses. Giles supplied illustrations to Black and White, Vanity Fair and Badminton Library, 

and in the Boer War (1899-1902) he served as war correspondent and illustrator for 

The Graphic and Daily Graphic.

His work was exhibited at Royal Academy and the Paris Salon in 1885.

After years of living in London and Newmarket, in retirement he settled in Scotland 

and died in Edinburgh in February 1941 aged eighty-three. 

Reviewed 9 December 2022