1st/17th - 4' 7" H (was 4' 9"); 3rd/19th (OD) - fence 5' H (4' 11"); 4th/20th - 4' 10" H (4' 11"); 5th/21st - 4' 11" H (4' 10"); 6th/22nd (BB) - fence 4' 7" H (4' 11"); 7th/23rd - 4' 10" H (4' 7"); 8th/24th (CT, OD) - ditch 6' W (5' 9"); 9th/25th (VB) - fence 5' H (4' 10"); 10th/26th - 5' H (4' 11"); 13th/29th - 4' 6" H (4' 9"); 14th/30th - 4' 6" H (4' 9").
Fr 29 Mar 1912 (2.59) 4m 4f Soft 10.13.40 24 £3,200 Sir C. Assheton-Smith
| 10 | 1 | Jerry M | 9 | 12-07 | B. Gore | E. Piggott | 4/1JF | Chased leaders. Left 5th at 3rd. 6th BB 1C. Slightly hampered CT 1C but 4th VB 1C and 3rd at 10th. 6th again shortly after ABC, 5th (of 13) WJ. 3rd early 2C and left 3rd at both CT & 27th. 2nd ABC. Pressed leader after 29th and briefly led. Challenged decisively just after last & came away with authority. Comfortably. | |
| 10 | 2 | Bloodstone | 10 | 11-06 | T. Coulthwaite | F. Lyall | 40/1 | 6 | Away well. 7th at 5th but pulled way into lead BB 1C. Headed VB 1C, 2nd at 10th and 3rd shortly after ABC. Same position WJ. Took outright lead early 2C but headed before BB. Left in dispute of lead CT and left ahead 27th. Swerved under pressure before last, when the recipient of unwelcome attention of a loose horse, and briefly headed. Headed decisively just after last. Kept on. |
| 3 | Axle Pin | 8 | 10-04 | P. Whitaker | I. Anthony | 20/1 | 4 | Away well. Left 6th at 3rd. 8th at 5th & BB 1C, 6th again VB 1C. 4th next & ABC, 6th once more WJ & early 2C. Left 4th CT and 5th at 27th. 3rd ABC. Kept on one-paced. | |
| 09 10 11 | 4 | Carsey | 9 | 10-13 | A. Hastings | J. Tyrrwhitt-Drake | 100/8 | 1 | Prominent. Left 3rd at 3rd. 5th from 5th to shortly after ABC 1C, 7th WJ. 5th again early 2C and left 5th CT. Left 4th at 27th but under pressure in 5th ABC.. Kept on gamely for urgings. |
| 5 | Sir Halbert | 9 | 10-06 | T. Coulthwaite | A. Smith | 66/1 | 2 | Chased leaders, 9th at 5th & BB 1C. 7th VB 1C and 6th next. Had dropped to 8th by WJ. Left 6th again CT 2C, headway CS and left 2nd at 27th. Dropped to 4th ABC. Kept on very one-paced. | |
| 08 11 | 6 | Mount Prospect's Fortune | 10 | 11-04 | B. Gore | J.J. Kelly | 66/1 | Towards rear 5th. A rear of mid-division 10th at 10th, same place WJ. Towards rear again in 7th CT 2C. Last but one & well beaten ABC. Plodded on. | |
| 7R | Whitelegs | 7 | 10-02 | K. Brandon | John Farrell | 66/1 | Always towards rear, 16th at 5th. Very bad mistake Chair and nearly UR. Last but one WJ. UR 17th, remounted tailed off. Well so by ABC and when fell last. Remounted again. Utterly tailed off. | ||
| 09 10 11 | F | Caubeen | 11 | 11-05 | Cpt R. Collis | A. Newey | 100/9 | 27TH (OD) | Away well & very prominent. Left 2nd at 3rd. Led briefly at 5th, 4th BB 1C. Regained lead VB 1C, 2L ahead next. Headed shortly after ABC 1C but led again WJ. Dropped back to 4th early 2C, then 3rd, then 2nd until left in dispute of lead CT. Ahead alone VB and when hampered by a loose horse & fell 27th. |
| F | Kilkeel | 7 | 10-07 | H. Ussher | R. Trudgill | 66/1 | 25TH (VB) | Mid-division. 11th at 5th & BB 1C. 8th at 10th but had become virtuay tailed off in last WJ. Was tailed off when fell VB 2C. | |
| B | Ballyhackle | 9 | 10-07 | H. Ussher | I. Morgan | 20/1 | 24TH (CT) | Away well & very prominent. Left 4th at 3rd. 3rd from 5th until took lead shortly after ABC 1C. 2nd WJ but disputed lead early 2C. Dropped to 2nd then 3rd, however, left in lead again BB 2C. Still ahead when mistake & BD from behind by Axle Pin CT. | |
| 08 10 11 | P | Jenkinstown | 11 | 11-07 | G. Goswell | W. Payne | 100/7 | 23RD | Chased leaders. 6th at 5th, 7th BB 1C & 10th, 9th WJ. Began to jump right early 2C. Displaced pelvis jumping 23rd & immediately PU. |
| F | Regent | 7 | 10-08 | A. Hastings | F. Morgan | 66/1 | 22ND (BB) | Last at 3rd and towards rear 4th. Good progress to be 10th BB 1C, 9th at 10th. Further headway to occupy 4th WJ. Same position early 2C then moved up into lead only to fall at BB. | |
| 10 11 | F | Precentor | 13 | 10-00 | T. Lavender | A. Aylin | 66/1 | 19TH (OD) | Mid-division 3rd. Rear of same in 13th at 5th & BB 1C, 11th WJ. No significant change when fell 19th. |
| 11 | F | Foolhardy | 11 | 10-03 | Cpt V. Beatty | W. MacNeill | 66/1 | 13TH | Towards rear until fell 13th. |
| F | Covertcoat | 6 | 10-05 | B. Gore | J. Walsh jnr | 33/1 | 8TH (CT) | Away well. Left in lead 3rd. 2nd at 5th & BB 1C. Still handy when hampered by a loose horse (Rathnally) & fell CT 1C. | |
| 11 | B | Bridge | 8 | 10-08 | G. Poole | G. Poole | 25/1 | 8TH (CT) | Rear of mid-division, 14th at 5th, 12th BB 1C. BD by a loose horse (Rory O'Moore) CT 1C. |
| 10 11 | B | Fetlar's Pride | 11 | 10-07 | T. Gwilt | G. Lyall | 66/1 | 8TH (CT) | Prominent at 1st but had dropped into a mid-division 12th by 5th. Further back when jumped onto a fallen horse (Bridge) in mini-melee CT 1C & BD. |
| F | Sans Peur | 13 | 10-00 | G. Menzies | J. Kay | 66/1 | 8TH (CT) | Towards rear, 15th at 5th. Fell CT 1C. | |
| F | Gold Seal | 12 | 10-00 | H. Ussher | J. Finn | 66/1 | 5TH | Towards rear. (May have refused 4th and been kept going.) Fell 5th. | |
| 11 | F | Rory O'Moore | 11 | 11-07 | P. Whitaker | Tich Mason | 9/1 | 4TH | Mid to rear until fell 4th. |
| 11 | F | Great Cross | 7 | 10-01 | T. Coulthwaite | E. Lawn | 40/1 | 4TH | Towards rear until fell 4th. |
| 11 | F | Rathnally | 7 | 11-11 | T. Coulthwaite | B. Chadwick | 4/1JF | 3RD (OD) | Away well & immediately led. Took off too soon & fell 3rd. |
| 10 11 | F | Glenside | 10 | 11-00 | Cpt R. Collis | H. Ussher | 40/1 | 3RD (OD) | Slowly away. Towards rear until fell 3rd. |
| F | Glenfinder | 11 | 10-00 | H. Ussher | J. Foran | 66/1 | 2ND | Slowly away & last. Well towards rear when fell 2nd. |
NO BLOOD BUT 12 1/2 STONE & PLENTY OF GORE AS JERRY M STREAKS AWAY
In front of a much smaller crowd than usual due to a coal strike that affected rail services, and with the minimum weight raised back up to ten stone, Jerry M produced a titanic display to become the third horse to win the Grand National carrying 12st 7lb. His majestic voyage around the Aintree course in 1912 handed his owner Sir Charles Assheton-Smith a second National, the purse for the first time topping three grand. Jerry M was prepared for the race by Findon trainer Bob Gore, a fine judge of equine potential. Gore had reintroduced his charge, following injury, at Hurst Park in January where, in what transpired to be a harbinger of things to come, Jerry M beat Bloodstone. The latter was owned by Charles Bower Ismay, the younger brother of J. Bruce Ismay who was chairman of the White Star Line whose offices were based in Liverpool and who would become villified a few weeks later because of events at sea. Jerry M's classy performance gave Ernie Piggott, who was Champion Jockey three times during his career, the first of what would be two Grand National victories. Unfortunately, Jerry M never ran again due to back and breathing problems and he died in 1914. Wretched luck continued to dog the distant 1909 third Caubeen. He was brought down by a loose horse at the 19th when going well the following year, was leading when spooked by the gap in the 23rd in 1911, and on this occasion fell at the last ditch while disputing the lead when again hampered by a loose one. In fairness, we still don't know if he would have stayed.
There is no doubt that Jerry M's effort in the 1912 National was more meritorious than his in the 1910 renewal, when I rated him -22. Whilst contemporary reports continue to indicate that the overall standard of steeplechasing was still not as high as in the first half of the 1890s, I am convinced that Jerry M's performance in 1912 was the best individual one since that of Cloister (-14, also owned by the then Charles Duff) in 1893. For a start, despite the intervening injury, Jerry M was now a 9-y-o and had matured, strengthened and improved, plus Bob Gore had noticeably and notably got the horse to a super peak of fitness for the 1912 Grand National. Whilst the winning time was about average for Soft going (and indeed the ground may have been leaning towards Good to Soft) it was better than par for the weight carried and the manner of victory was comfortable. Also, Jerry M was the first to lug such a heavy impost to success on going worse than Good. The pace was sustained and probably a good one. That had not been the case (it collapsed) in 1890, the most recent previous renewal on Soft, when Ilex earned a rating of -38 for an easy triumph. However, Jerry M's time was far superior, he carried much more weight than had Ilex and the jumping test was stiffer in 1912. Rough comparisons, taking into account these factors, with 1890, 1908, when the ground was Soft (Heavy in places), and 1911 (Good to Soft (Soft in places)) all indicate that Jerry M is well worthy of a place on my Scroll Of Merit. But exactly where? I am inclined to place him alongside those on -14, an improvement of 8 (pounds/lengths) upon his 1910 figure. When beating Jerry M that year Jenkinstown received a rating of -49 while carrying 30lb less than Jerry M did in 1912, and that Jenkinstown's winning time was 8.60s the quicker can be entirely explained by the going having been Good to Soft in 1910 but, even if tending that way, mainly Soft in 1912. In addition, Jerry M must be allowed 4 or 5 for the comfort of his victory and being slightly hampered at the first Canal Turn. Weights and measures calculations for 1912, made before applying that allowance, consequently find Bloodstone rated -39, Carsey -51, Axle Pin -59 and Sir Halbert -60. The more eagle-eyed reader will have spotted that Carsey had apparently improved even more than Jerry M had compared to 1910, a personal furtherance of nearly two stone! This is justified. Carsey was the same age as Jerry M and thus open to any amount of advancement (especially from a lower base), indeed he had easily won the Grand Sefton in November 1911, he ran in Nationals in a manner suggesting the more testing ground of 1912 likely suited him better than that of 1910, and was handicapped in 1912 to carry only 8lb less than Jenkinstown (to whom the weight allocated still contained an unfair tariff for having won the Grand National and who had emerged 29 the better of the two in 1910). The Scroll Of Merit now reads: -14 Lottery, The Lamb, Disturbance, Seaman, Come Away, Cloister, Jerry M; -18 Congress, The Liberator; -19 Why Not, Manifesto.
HOOFNOTES
> Glenside may have UR at the 3rd rather than falling there.