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Betting |
Bell’s Life and the Sporting Chronicle provided a detailed account of the race on Saturday 11th March 1865, the article forming the backbone of the information shown below.
For the first time the meeting was extended to 3 days, showing that this long established gathering had lost not one jot of its world-wide popularity. Although the preceding races were off on time, to allow just 45 minutes for all of the preliminaries leading up to the big race proved to be a challenge. Mr Marshall eventually got the field away by 3.27, Meanwood making the early pace a cracker some dozen lengths ahead of Joe Maley, Arbury and Merrimac. At the first Market Gardener refused and Tumbler lived up to his name, but such was the frenetic pace over the next few fences leading up to Beecher’s that fully 2 furlongs divided the first and the last. Meanwood continued to set a merry gallop over Beecher’s, followed more closely by Merrimac, Joe Maley, Arbury and Flyfisher. At the canal side turn the leader slackened, allowing the field to be generally on better terms. By the Stand water jump Arbury and Joe Maley had stolen the lead, with Merrimac, Emblem and Flyfisher landing close in their wake. On to the upper end of the enclosure, Arbury resumed sole command, but Joe Maley jumped too short at the next, giving jockey Page a purler. Approaching Beecher’s for the final time, Ballycasey toppled over and Stanton was thrown out, but Arbury was still pulling double up front. However, he over-jumped the Brook and rolled on to his side, whereupon Merrimac took up the lead some 20 lengths in advance of Hall Court, The Czar and Flyfisher. At Valentine’s Brook Hall Court passed the leader and put on steam, with both Mistake and Alcibiade making up ground. The Flyfisher stopped in the final plough, as did Mistake and Merrimac, but Hall Court galloped on up the final straight, although he was challenged at the final hurdle. Alcibiade drew level at the half distance, snatching the lead just a dozen lengths short of the Chair, to win by a head. Emblematic rallied to gain third, albeit 50 lengths back, while Mistake, Merrimac and Emblem followed on. |
