1847 Grand National
| Grand National | |
| Location | Aintree |
|---|---|
| Date | 3 March 1847 |
| Winning horse | Mathew IRE |
| Starting price | 10/1 |
| Jockey | Denny Wynne |
| Trainer | John Murphy IRE |
| Owner | John Courtenay IRE |
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The 1847 Grand National Steeplechase was the ninth official annual running of a Handicap Steeple-chase Horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on 3 March 1847 and attracted a then record field of twenty-six runners. It was won by Mathew, ridden by Denny Wynne in the colours of County Cork landowner, John Courtenay. This was the first time the race was officially named The Grand National Steeplechase, having previously been run under the title, Grand Liverpool Steeplechase.
Contemporary newspaper reporters stated that the race was run over the same course as the previous year, describing the start as being a ploughed field with light fencing, narrow ditching and low cops and banks over four fields before bending to the left to jump a brook with short timber. The course then turned left towards the Canal over fences described as being of a practicable character before a leap over a sharp left turn before taking a decent water and timber jump. This took the runners over very heavy land to a ditch with a bank on the take off side. the next field led the runners into the lane at Anchor Bridge and then onto the course, the far end of which was known as the training ground with a stiff hurdle placed alongside the distance chair, topped with gorse six foot high. Opposite the stand was an artificial water jump fifteen feet wide and three feet deep. the runners then took a very awkward bank and ditch before crossing the lane at Melling Road before setting off on a second circuit. the finish of the race was beside the distance judge's chair meaning the fences to be taken was reduced from thirty-one the previous year to twenty-nine this year.
Start - Just beyond the Melling Road. Fence 1 [17 on the second circuit] Light fence. Fence 2 [18] Light fence. Fence 3 [19] A low cops. Fence 4 [20] Bank. Fence 5 [21] Brook with short timber. Fence 6 [22] Practicable fence. Fence 7 [23] Practicable fence. Fence 8 [24] A sharp left turn Fence 9 [25] A decent timber and water jump. Fence 10 [26] A fence into very heavy land. Fence 11 [27] A ditch with a bank. Fence 12 [28] A fence into the Anchor Bridge Road. Fence 13 [29] An artificial hurdle leaving the training ground on the racecourse proper. Fence 14 A stiff hurdle topped with gorse six feet high. Fence 15 A water jump increased in width by ten feet to fifteen feet and reduced in depth by a foot to three feet. Fence 16 An awkward bank and ditch.
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