At all plain fences the base was brought forward to create a slight apron and thus prevent horses from getting in too close. The fence at BB was made a little thicker and the landing ground slightly raised, as was that at VB very slightly. 4th/20th - 5' H (was 4' 10"); 16th (WJ) - fence 2' 6" H (3'), TW 15' (15' 6").
Fr 23 Mar 1923 (3.01) 4m 4f Good to Firm 9.36.00 28 £7,850 L. Sanford
| 19 20 22 | 1 | Sergeant Murphy | 13 | 11-03 | G. Blackwell | Cpt T. Bennet | 100/6 | Away well & disputed lead from 1st until led outright by BB 1C, never out of first 2 thereafter. Headed circa Chair, 2nd (of 12) WJ. Led again, narrowly, BB 2C. Joined VB and mistake 26th but ahead again 27th. Joined once more ABC but repelled all challengers over last 2. Kept on well. | |
| 19 21 22 | 2 | Shaun Spadah | 12 | 12-07 | G. Poole | D. Rees | 20/1 | 3 | Chased leaders until disputed lead 5th. Dropped to 4th BB 1C. 3rd WJ, 5th BB & VB 2C. 4th again just before 29th and game effort to challenge for a close 2nd approaching last. Took 2nd just after and kept on well but always held. |
| 3 | Conjuror | 11 | 11-00 | T. Coulthwaite | C. Dewhurst | 100/6 | 6 | Chased leaders until became 5th at BB 1C. 6th WJ. Headway into 3rd by BB 2C, however, made quite a bad mistake & came away from fence in 5th. Badly hampered (by Drifter) 23rd, sustaining injury to mouth, and 6th CT. Rallied gamely to be a close 3rd just before 29th and soon took 2nd. Joined for that position approaching last and dropped to 3rd just after. Weakened. | |
| 4 | Punt Gun | 10 | 11-01 | J. Woodman | M. Tighe | 20/1 | 15 | Chased leaders, 8th BB 1C where ran down fence towards inner & jumped left. Also jumped left CT 1C, colliding with Max & losing back-end. Quickly recovered, however, and made gradual progress despite jumping left again 10th: 5th WJ, 4th BB 2C, 3rd CT. A close-up 4th at 27th. Same position when hampered by the unseating Pencoed 28th. Weakened thereafter. | |
| 22 | 5 | Drifter | 9 | 10-10 | F. Morgan | B. Watkinson | 20/1 | DIST | Away well & very prominent, 2nd BB 1C. Took lead circa Chair and despite jumping badly right at that obstacle led over WJ. Had lost lead and ground by BB 2C where 6th. Rallied to be 3rd VB. Bad mistake next but disputed lead ABC then a close 2nd until just before 29th whereupon commenced to weaken very badly. |
| 6 | Max | 7 | 11-05 | H. Ussher | J. Hogan jnr | 25/1 | Mid-division, 9th BB 1C. In dispute of 8th when bumped by Punt Gun CT 1C. Around same position CS 1C but had dropped to 11th by 14th. 10th & rear of main group by WJ where mistake. 7th (detached from leading 6) from BB to VB 2C. Dropped to 8th & last of main group when brought to a virtual standstill by the fall of Square Dance at the 28th. Tailed off thereafter. | ||
| 7 | Cinders | 11 | 10-02 | J. Betts | W. Williams | 100/1 | Already well towards rear at 1st. Well tailed off by late CS 1C. Utterly tailed off 9th & last BB 2C. Lumbered on. | ||
| U | Pencoed | 8 | 10-03 | Lt Col F. Lort-Phillips | D. Thomas | 100/1 | 28TH | Started off in mid-division. Became prominent by BB 1C where 6th. 4th WJ, 2nd from BB to CT 2C, disputed lead VB. 2nd when mistake & UR 28th. | |
| F | Square Dance | 11 | 12-00 | G. Poole | L.B. Rees | 100/6 | 28TH | Always in mid-division 1C. Disputed 11th BB, 13th CT, 9th WJ. At rear of those in contention for much of 2C, generally in 8th. No progress and beaten when fell 28th. | |
| F | Trentino | 9 | 11-07 | Maj J. Wilson | Maj J. Wilson | 66/1 | 22ND (BB) | Prominent over first 2. 7th BB & CT 1C. Rider summoned a fleet of cabs down the CS with particularly notable mistakes at VB 1C & 11th. 8th WJ. 7th again and not far behind leading sextet when blundered 20th. 9th & last of main group when took a right purler BB 2C. | |
| 21 | U | Forewarned | 8 | 11-05 | A. Hastings | J. Anthony | 11/2F | 21ST | Mid-division, disputed 11th BB 1C and 7th WJ. 10th & last of main group, under severe pressure, when tired mistake & UR 21st. |
| P | Cinzano | 6 | 10-00 | T. Coulthwaite | F. Brown | 100/1 | END 1C | Slowly away & towards rear 1st. 14th BB 1C where stumbled. 12th CT 1C where mistake. Blundered 11th where last but one. Detached in that position 14th and when refused Chair. Kept going in 12th & last but broke blood vessel and PU shortly after the WJ. | |
| R | Madrigal | 6 | 10-12 | B. Gore | D. Colbert | 66/1 | 15TH (CHAIR) | Prominent, disputed lead from 3rd to 5th, 3rd BB 1C. Slightly lost position, not helped by mistakes CT 1C & 11th, but still 5th when refused Chair, crashing into fence, where also finally succeeded in discarding rider. | |
| 20 21 | F | Turkey Buzzard | 10 | 12-06 | W. Payne | F. Brookes | 33/1 | 15TH (CHAIR) | Chased leaders, 10th BB 1C. Going okay and had just been left 7th when fell Chair. |
| R | Libretto | 8 | 10-03 | P. Whitaker | G. Parfrement | 100/8 | 11TH (OD) | Mid-division, hampered 4th. 13th BB 1C where sprawled on landing. 15th & last of main bunch CT 1C. Little change when refused 11th, depositing jockey onto turf. | |
| U | Pam Nut | 10 | 10-00 | W. Jackson | S. Duffy | 100/1 | 10TH | Mid to rear, 15th BB 1C. In 12th but further towards rear when very bad mistake & UR 10th. | |
| 22 | R | Arravale | 8 | 11-02 | P. Whitaker | P. Whitaker | 10/1 | 6TH (BB) | Rear of mid-division 1st. Forced to go around fallers 4th. Behind in 16th when refused BB 1C, decanting jockey. |
| R | Gardenrath | 8 | 10-00 | D. Rogers | J. Whelehan | 66/1 | 6TH (BB) | Slowly away & detached from main body of field in 25th at 1st. Had reached the rear of main group when forced to go around fallers 4th. Behind in 17th when refused BB 1C, unshipping rider. | |
| U | Canny Knight | 9 | 10-00 | A. Scott | A. Vause | 100/1 | 6TH (BB) | Towards rear, last by 4th where forced to go around fallers. Well tailed off rearmost when very bad mistake & UR BB 1C. | |
| 22 | F | Masterful | 10 | 10-00 | B. Gore | P. Roberts | 100/1 | 5TH | Led to start. Enthusiastic and had become prominent when fell 5th. Broke leg. Dead. |
| F | Duettiste | 10 | 11-07 | H. Escott | T. Escott | 40/1 | 5TH | Away quite well but only in rear portion of mid-division when mistake & UR 3rd. Remounted, well tailed off. Fell 5th. | |
| F | My Rath | 11 | 10-08 | G. Bennett | C. Chapman | 66/1 | 4TH | Away well & disputed lead over first 2. Remained prominent once headed and 5th when fell 4th. | |
| F | Liffeybank | 12 | 10-07 | Cpt R. Gooch | K. Gibson | 100/1 | 4TH | Had advanced into the fore of mid-division when fell heavily 4th. | |
| 22 | F | Taffytus | 10 | 11-07 | T. Leader jnr | T.E. Leader | 100/8 | 4TH | Away well but had dropped to midfield when fell 4th. |
| B | Eureka | 6 | 11-00 | B. Gore | A. Stubbs | 40/1 | 4TH | Mid-division until BD by Taffytus 4th. | |
| R | Ammonal | 6 | 10-07 | O. Anthony | I. Morgan | 40/1 | 4TH | Soon towards rear and apparently not enjoying the experience. Had dropped to last bar Duettiste when refused 4th. | |
| 19 20 22 | U | The Turk | 13 | 10-02 | Cpt C. Elsey | C. Donnelly | 100/1 | 3RD (OD) | Rear of mid-division until mistake & UR 3rd. |
| F | Navana | 9 | 10-00 | C. Davis | F. Mason | 66/1 | 1ST | Slowly away & rearmost, fell 1st. |
THE VETS
In response to the criticisms that followed last year's race Aintree both raised entry fees and made the change to plain fences (noted above) for the 1923 Grand National. The lower two foot of these obstacles was extended by about two feet towards the approaching runners to make a kind of bulge that was a different shade to the main body of the fences. A marginal positive effect in reducing the number of fallers ensued but not enough of one to suggest that the jumping test was lessened to a degree that would totally explain why times generally improved from 1923 on. The development of steeplechasing and training methods (see 1919) is the more likely reason. It could be said that other trainers had gradually caught up with Tom Coulthwaite and now taken forward some of the methods he employed to improve horses' fitness (much like what would occur in a later era, that of Martin Pipe). The going for the 1923 National was the fastest since 1906 and the winning times per weight carried very similar, what is remarkable, however, is that Sergeant Murphy and Shaun Spadah were veterans, past the ages at which further improvement is likely and both had remained with the same fine trainers, yet each put up his best National performance. Sergeant Murphy, the older of the two, bettered his previous efforts by the greater amount, it appears he relished the decent surface (he had been running well on Good in 1922 when slipping and sparking mayhem) but that does not account for all of his advancement, whilst Shaun Spadah, having won on Heavy in 1921, proved he had the class to handle any ground. The evolution of training, therefore, might be the key.
In light of that thought this may be an appropriate moment to reiterate the concept of general athletic improvement - all athletes, human and equine, inevitably grow stronger, faster over the decades for various reasons. For horses, some reasons are better training, fitness, nutrition and jockeyship. General athletic improvement, then, has to be taken into account when comparing the merit of horses belonging to different eras. It is an unscientific business, just as is time comparison (as I have also said previously). Multiple factors come into play when comparing times so it is helpful to have collateral form as well. Unfortunately, it is not always available and sometimes pure time comparisons are all there is to make. Apart from being particularly useful in the absence of collateral form, the tale of the clock is also dead handy in that a time or series of times remaining unsurpassed for a large number of years is very probably indication of a great horse or era.
Returning to the 1923 Grand National, run in a heavy mist and in which the surprising lightweight Pencoed may have been unlucky, the gallant and popular Sergeant Murphy made Laddie Sanford the first victorious American owner, brought joy to Derby-winning and mainly Flat trainer George Blackwell, and gave Captain Tuppy Bennet, a veterinary surgeon, the climactic moment of his riding career. Tragically, in late December Tuppy would receive a fatal kick to the head at Wolverhampton, dying early in 1924. This led to the NHC making the wearing of crash helmets compulsory in steeplechases. On a lighter note, after being brought down by Taffytus at the 4th Eureka thrashed his legs then lay as if dead only to rise Lazarus-like and trot away when the field came round for the second time. Truly a eureka moment!
As alluded to above, the 1923 National was the first run on Good to Firm since 1906. I reckon the jumping test was similar in both years but it was perhaps a sliver quicker ground in 1923 (bearing in mind the official description for 1906 was Good) and the protagonists also had the benefit of a bit of general athletic improvement over Ascetic's Silver, however, whilst they obviously went a very decent pace in 1923 the speed in 1906 was lightning quick (and thus would aid the winning time more), therefore, considering that Sergeant Murphy ran merely 1.60s slower than Ascetic's Silver while carrying 8lb more, all these factors incline me to award Sergeant Murphy the same raw figure as I did Ascetic's Silver, -39. At the weights in 1923 Shaun Spadah emerged 15 (pounds/lengths) superior to Sergeant Murphy, which is generally how they'd come out when previously clashing (as evidenced by the handicap). Therefore, Shaun Spadah is rated -24 for his weight-induced defeat, 2 better as a 12-y-o than when he won on Heavy in 1921. What a fine horse! I will uprate Sergeant Murphy 1 to -38 because he made a mistake and was holding the runner-up close home. Hypothetically I might have rated him -71 in 1919 on Good to Soft and -66 in 1920 on Heavy. Sergeant Murphy continued to improve even as a 13-y-o for better training methods although the much firmer ground in 1923 is the greater factor behind his higher merit mark. Conjuror was 27 inferior to Shaun Spadah, however, I will allow the former 7, for being badly hampered and suffering an injury to his mouth, just after a bad mistake, for -44. Punt Gun gets -65. Perhaps I was generous in allowing Drifter, not the easiest to steer, 7 for -77 last year because on going that should have helped him stay better he weakened worsely in 1923. Drifter finished a distance behind the fourth and even if it was the minimum 30 lengths his rating would be -100. However, he didn't jump as well this year and did too much at a faster speed with 10lb more against better opposition.