Cure-All
Encyclopedia
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 white 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.
In addition Cure-All's position in the race had hung in the balance for some time prior to the off as his nominee owner, Sterling-Crawford being one of two owners who lodged a protest of over the safety of the ground on which the race was to be run, claiming that the rain of the previous night, followed by a sharp overnight frost had left the ground too hard. When he was outvoted by his fellow owners he decided not to withdraw the horse and the conditions worked in Cure-All's favour, coming past many tired horses to win in a new record time.
One of the first riders to congratulate William Loft was Tom Olliver who, after admitting his error of judgement before the race then joked that Loft must have stopped at a farmhouse during the first circuit before rejoining the runners on the second.
1845 Grand National
The 1845 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the seventh annual running of a Handicap Steeple-chase, later to become known as the Grand National Steeplechase Horse race which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on Wednesday 5 March 1845 and attracted a field of fifteen runners...
Steeplechase
Steeplechase
Steeplechase may refer to:* Steeplechase, an event in horse racing* SteepleChase, a Danish jazz label* Steeplechase , a 1975 arcade game released by Atari...
when an unconsidered outsider.
The horse was foaled in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and in 1843 was taken to the then prestigious Horncastle
Horncastle
Horncastle is a market town of some 6,090 residents in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, 22 miles east of Lincoln.-Geography:...
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
William Loft
William Loft William Loft William Loft (born Seaford, Sussex 14 September 1803 - died Grimsby 15 December 1887 was a farmer and one time steeplechase rider best remembered for his victory in the 1845 Grand National riding Cure-All....
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 white 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
Healing, Lincolnshire
Healing is a village and civil parish in North East Lincolnshire, England. It lies between Stallingborough and Great Coates, and to the west from Grimsby. Its population at the 2001 census was 2,606....
to Aintree
Aintree
Aintree is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside. It lies between Walton and Maghull on the A59 road, about north of Liverpool city centre, in North West England....
, 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
Tom Olliver
Thomas 'Tom' Olliver , born Oliver or Olivere, was a steeplechase jockey and racehorse trainer, who won three Grand Nationals as a rider in the 1840s and 50s....
, 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.
In addition Cure-All's position in the race had hung in the balance for some time prior to the off as his nominee owner, Sterling-Crawford being one of two owners who lodged a protest of over the safety of the ground on which the race was to be run, claiming that the rain of the previous night, followed by a sharp overnight frost had left the ground too hard. When he was outvoted by his fellow owners he decided not to withdraw the horse and the conditions worked in Cure-All's favour, coming past many tired horses to win in a new record time.
One of the first riders to congratulate William Loft was Tom Olliver who, after admitting his error of judgement before the race then joked that Loft must have stopped at a farmhouse during the first circuit before rejoining the runners on the second.