The Canal Turn is a fence on Aintree Racecourse 's National Course and thus is jumped during the Grand National steeplechase which is held annually at the racecourse, located near Liverpool , England. Named for the Leeds & Liverpool Canal which passes alongside the racecourse at this point, it is jumped twice during the race, as the 8th and 24th fences.
25-536: The fence is notable for the sharp left turn that the runners have to take as soon as they have negotiated the fence. The turn is almost 90 degrees and it is not uncommon for jockeys to become unbalanced as they change course; unseatings and falls are common. Seven equine fatalities have been recorded at the Canal Turn in Grand Nationals since the race was first run officially in 1839 ; the most recent death
50-545: A second time. The most famous incident of the race occurred at the fence then known as the First Brook. Captain Becher had taken Conrad into second place at this stage but his mount failed to clear the rails and fell. Becher was forced to dive for cover into the brook itself as the other horses cleared the obstacle and legend has it that he was heard to tell the spectators that he did not realise how filthy water tasted without
75-574: Is also comfortably the narrowest fence on the Grand National course, bar the Water Jump. The landing side of The Chair fence is actually 6 inches (15 cm) above the ground on the takeoff side, creating the reverse effect to that at the Becher's Brook fence, meaning the ground comes up to meet horse and rider sooner than anticipated. Generally it is jumped fairly safely by most horses in
100-583: The Grand National . It was held at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool , England , on Tuesday 26 February 1839 and attracted a field of 17 runners. Although recorded by the press at the time as the fourth running of the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, which was renamed the Grand National in 1847 , the first three runnings were poorly organised affairs possibly run at Maghull . This year the race came under new management and
125-400: The 'racecourse proper' at the far end of the circuit to run back towards the stands, jumping a plain fence (the modern day Chair ) before jumping a wall topped with gorse (the modern day Water Jump). The field then took another circuit of the course, this time bypassing the final two obstacles towards the finishing post. Paulina refused the first jump but continued after being put at the fence
150-497: The Canal Turn, including those who unseated riders or were brought down, but not those who were pulled up, carried out or refused at the fence. The 2020 running was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic . * Fence was only jumped once, on first circuit. † 1993 race void. 1839 Grand National The 1839 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the first official annual running of a steeplechase which later became known as
175-501: The Grand National at The Chair since 1979, and only three at the fence since the race was founded in 1839 . The Chair has also claimed the life of the only human fatality in a Grand National when Joseph Wynne, the son of former winning jockey Denny Wynne, was badly injured in a fall at the fence during the 1862 running. Although taken alive from the course to the nearby Sefton Arms pub, he died hours later, never having regained consciousness. Former winning jockey George Ede, who rode under
200-448: The Grand National field, probably due to the lengthy run they have before reaching the fence, and because, by the time the fence is approached, most of the runners have settled into a smooth running rhythm. However, it regularly claims fallers, not just in the Grand National but other races held over the course. Perhaps The Chair's most notorious pile up occurred during the 1979 Grand National , won by Rubstic. Two loose horses veered across
225-468: The arrival of the railway in Liverpool made travel to the course easier. The race was not run as a handicap chase (the Grand National was converted to a handicap race in 1843 ) and therefore all the runners carried twelve stone . Eighteen runners were declared to run in the race but shortly before the start Jerry was withdrawn. This left the field as follows: The start was situated near to where
250-527: The benefit of whisky. Seconds later, William McDonough joined Becher in the brook after falling from Rust but it was the Captain's name attributed to the fence, now known as Becher's Brook . Both riders remounted but Becher's race ended when his mount fell again at the Second Brook where both Barkston and Cannon Ball had also fallen. It was one of these horses, while running loose, who ended the hopes of
275-474: The favourite when The Nun was brought down shortly before rejoining the racecourse; she was remounted by Tom Ferguson while Rust was pulled up before reaching the stands. Charity fell at the wall in front of the stands but was also remounted. Railroad led at this stage with Lottery in second place but so slow was the pace of the race and so wide the distances between competitors that the favourite The Nun had managed to make up ground to move into third. Seventy-Four
SECTION 10
#1732776794890300-490: The field were taken out of the race at the Canal Turn, including Amberleigh House , who went on to win the National in 2004 . On the final circuit Paddy's Return again ran across the fence, but this time Red Marauder , the eventual winner, and Smarty, who eventually took second, avoided the loose horse. In the 2015 Grand National the fence bypassed for the first time on the final circuit as vets treated Balthazar King, who
325-437: The field. By the final fence just two remained. Billy Barton fell at the last, leaving the 100/1 outsider Tipperary Tim to finish alone. Billy Barton was, however, remounted to pick up the second-place prize money. In the 2001 Grand National the riderless Paddy's Return ran in front of the field as they approached the fence. This caused a number of horses to be stopped in their tracks or brought down. In total nine horses in
350-413: The horse as distressed. His cause of death was recorded as a burst blood vessel. *NQ = not quoted *NQ = not quoted Irish Newsletter 1839 Liverpool Mercury 1839 The Times 1839 The Chair (Aintree Racecourse) The Chair is a fence on Aintree Racecourse 's National Course and thus is one of 30 that are jumped during the Grand National steeplechase which is held annually at
375-403: The jockey rode. Seventy-Four was second, Paulina third and True Blue fourth. Pioneer was on course to finish third when he unseated his rider. Walker quickly remounted but could only manage fifth place. Although regarded at the time as the fourth running of the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, this running went on to be regarded as the first official running of the Grand National. The finishing order
400-517: The lead at the First Brook and maintained it to the finish, winning more easily than the three-length margin suggested in a time of 14 minutes 53 seconds, 53 seconds outside the course record. Lottery was prepared for the race at the stables of George Dockeray in Epsom , who is loosely regarded as the trainer but most of the preparation was more likely conducted by the owner, Piccadilly horse dealer John Elmore in whose colours of blue jacket and black cap
425-491: The main body of the field and contributed to the falls or refusals of nine horses, including Kintai who was euthanised as a result of injuries sustained when he was brought down. For the following year's race, in which Ben Nevis returned and won having been one of the victims in the prior year's pile-up, channels were installed around the fence so that loose horses reluctant to negotiate the obstacle were able to bypass it rather than jump over it. There has been no equine fatality in
450-526: The modern day Melling Road is and took the runners out into open countryside, jumping a line of natural banks, no more than 2 feet (0.61 m) high before reaching a post and rails over a brook. They then took the runners left towards the Leeds and Liverpool Canal , turning sharply (where the modern day Canal Turn is) to run along the canalside back towards the racecourse, negotiating the Second Brook (the modern day Valentine's Brook). The runners would then enter
475-406: The name Mr. Edwards, also lost his life in a fall at the fence in 1872, albeit not in a Grand National. In the 1964 Grand National , rider Paddy Farrell fractured his spine in a fall at The Chair. His plight highlighted the lack of support for jockeys who are badly injured in racing, leading to the creation of the injured jockeys' fund. The fence has caught out numerous Grand National winners over
500-475: The racecourse near Liverpool , England. It is the 15th fence that the runners jump and is one of only two (the other being the 16th, the Water Jump) in the race to be negotiated only once. Positioned in front of the grandstand , it is the tallest fence on the course, at 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m), preceded by a 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) open ditch on the takeoff side. The Chair
525-439: The years, including Russian Hero ( 1951 ), Ayala ( 1964 ), Rubstic ( 1980 ) and Silver Birch ( 2006 ). The Chair receives its name from the chair once sited alongside the fence, at which a distance judge would sit when races used to be run in heats. Horses that tailed off too far were disqualified from later heats. In the 19th century the fence was more widely known as The Monument, but this term began to fall out of favour during
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#1732776794890550-513: Was fourth. On the second circuit, Charity fell before reaching the First Brook for the second time while Dictator fell at the fence situated at the turn by the canal but was quickly remounted by Robert Carlin. Daxon and The Nun both fell for a second time at the next fence, the Second Brook, while Dictator fell there again, this time fatally, becoming the first equine fatality of the Grand National Jem Mason took Lottery into
575-423: Was injured in a fall the first time round. Two Cheltenham Gold Cup winners have departed at this fence in more recent years, The Fellow, (1994 Gold Cup winner) took a heavy fall on the second circuit the same year as his Cheltenham success, and Lord Windermere, (2014 Gold Cup winner) unseated his rider on the first circuit in 2018. This table documents the number of runners which fell in recent Grand Nationals at
600-416: Was only loosely recorded in the press as Jack in sixth, The Nun seventh, Railroad eighth, Rambler ninth and Cramp the last of ten to pass the post. Later record books show seven finishers though this is not supported by any press reports from the time. There was also much criticism in the press over the severity of the event, especially the conduct of Robert Carlin in remounting Dictator when witnesses described
625-413: Was that of The Last Fling in 2002 . The Canal Turn has been the scene of a number of incidents that have had a major impact upon the outcome of the Grand National. In 1928 , the favourite and top-weight Easter Hero refused at the ditch which at the time preceded the fence (this was filled in following the race). This refusal took out 20 horses. By the end of the first circuit only six horses remained in
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