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GRAND ANNUAL STEEPLECHASE
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| October 1886 | ||||
| In October 1886 the Worcester Journal wrote,'In its earlier history the Grand Annual has frequently furnished the key to the cross-country Derby, to be decided in the spring of the succeeding year, and, with the Leamington Grand Annual, attained a position second only in importance to the Liverpool Grand National. The decline of steeplechasing on the Pitchcroft may be traced from 1866, when Lord Coventry, who was a staunch supporter of the Worcester fixtures, ran a horse called Balder in the Grand Annual. Balder was a strong fancy, and was ridden by George Stevens, whose peculiarity was that he always took a line to himself, keeping his mount clear of the rush. Unfortunately some ponies were allowed to stray into one of the meadows on the line taken by George, and his mount collided with one of these ponies, extinguishing Balder's chances. Lord Coventry expressed his indignation and vowed not to run his horses again at Pitchcroft'. In 1886 the management decided to remodel their programme and eliminated the Grand Annual from the card, feeling that it had become a shadow of its former self. | ||||
The Worcester Grand Annual Steeplechase is intrinsically linked with the Aintree Grand National, its inaugural running taking place in 1836, the same year the first 'unofficial' Grand National took place. For details of the 1886 Aintree Grand National click here. |
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| Another famous race from days gone by, the Land O' Plums Steeplechase, formerly run at Pershore Racecourse, has now been reinstated at Worcester racecourse. | ||||
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To order your copy, priced at £13.99 + £2 postage/packaging, email info@worcester-racecourse.co.uk |