1843 Grand National
| Grand National | |
| Location | Aintree |
|---|---|
| Date | 1 March 1843 |
| Winning horse | Vanguard |
| Starting price | 12/1 |
| Jockey | Tom Olliver |
| Owner | Lord Chesterfield |
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The 1843 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the fifth official annual running of a handicap steeplechase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase handicap horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on Wednesday 1 March 1843 and attracted a field of 16 runners.
Although recorded by the press at the time as the eighth running of the Grand Liverpool, which was renamed the Grand National in 1847, the first three runnings were poorly organised affairs and are not currently officially recognised.
This year the race was run as a handicap, with horses weighted according to their ability. In previous years they had all carried the same amount. The National has remained a handicap ever since.
The course was described by the reporter of the Liverpool Mercury as follows. Start - Just beyond the Melling Road. Fences 1-4 [16-19 on the second circuit] - described as good fences on the run down to Becher's Brook. Fence 5 [20] - Becher's Brook. Although at this time it did not carry the name and was merely described as the brook where the captain had fallen four years earlier. Fences 6, 7 & 8 [21, 22 & 23] - Fences situated across three fields inclined to the left that took the runners towards the Canal side. There is no mention at this time of there being a Canal turn. Fence 9 [24] - A large water jump, which was probably the modern Valentine's Brook. Fences 10, 11 & 12 [25, 26 & 27] - These fences were not described except to say the runner crossed three fields, the third of which was of grass before reaching the Anchor Bridge crossing and running into the training ground, which was the wide extreme of the modern race course proper. Fence 13 - A wall by the distance chair, reintroduced this year at the request of Irish competitors and supporters used to such obstacles in Ireland. Fence 14 - An artificial brook, the modern water jump, which this year was widened and was described as being thirteen feet wide with a rail. Fence 15 - A bank, which took the runners back over into the Melling Road to start the second circuit. Fence 28 - A hurdle situated on the run in beside the wall. On the second circuit the runners turned onto the race course at an earlier point, not running onto the training ground as on the first circuit.
The most detailed description of the race was given by the reporter of the Liverpool Mercury who stated that Croxby led them out towards the first fence before being passed by Nimrod. Nothing was reported until the fourth fence when Victoria fell and continued riderless before running into the fields inside the course. At this point Peter Simple and Vanguard led the field towards the Canal side of the course, the former increasing the pace on reaching the Canal side plough, which stretched the runners out considerably.
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