Cure-all
| Cure-All | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Physician |
| Grandsire | Brutandorf |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | 1838 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Colour | Brown |
| Owner | William Sterling Crawfurd |
| Trainer | William Loft |
| Major wins | |
| Grand National (1845) | |
Cure-All was a half bred racehorse by Physician out of an unknown dam who won the 1845 Grand National Steeplechase when an unconsidered outsider.
The horse was foaled in Yorkshire and in 1843 was taken to the then prestigious Horncastle horse fair where he was offered at £240. The well known and respected steeplechase owner and rider Captain William Peel took an interest in the horse and requested he be allowed to take it for a ride before purchasing, as was the custom. However while out on this ride Peel found the horse to have gone lame and returned it to the representative of the owner with an apology but no offer to purchase.
At the end of the week a friend of Captain Peel's, William Loft enquired as to the welfare of the horse and when told that it was still lame he made an offer of £50, which was accepted.
Cure-All initially was used as a farm hack for Loft before being put to the hunting field and showed such a good jumping ability and speed that it was suggested he be entered into a match with a highly regarded local chaser named Crocous.
Despite losing almost 100 yards when going the wrong side of the flag at one obstacle and falling during the race, Cure-All was still beaten only a neck in the contest, bringing him to the attention of racehorse owner William Sterling-Crawford.
Sterling-Crawford had placed an entry for his well fancied Rat Trap in the 1845 Grand National but when that horse was forced to withdraw through injury he was allowed to nominate a substitute to run in his colours of white with black sleeves and cap. Loft agreed to allow a lease of Cure-All to run as a nominee on condition that Loft himself be allowed to ride.
The horse was walked most of the way from Healing, Lincolnshire to Aintree, arriving the on the evening before the race in a very poor looking state, which led to the bookmakers offering the horse the next day at any price the public wished to offer, so poor were his chances thought to be.
In addition Tom Olliver, the twice winning rider of the National who on the favourite Vanguard commented to Loft as they left the paddock that his horse looked like a Lincolnshire prize ox and might do well to complete one circuit of the course.
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Wikipedia