The Grand National Handicap Steeplechase takes place each spring at Aintree on the outskirts of Liverpool. The course is four miles 856 yards from start to finish and contains 30 obstacles. First run in 1839 at Aintree, each winner is feted as a hero and there are many tales of exceptional courage and bravery. There has been one triple winner, the legendary Red Rum, and seven double winners. One of the seven is Poethlyn, owned by Mrs Hugh Peel of Bryn y Pys, Overton, trained by Harry Escott at Lewes in Sussex and ridden by Ernest Piggott, grandfather of Lester Piggott.
Poethlyn's first win was in 1918 in the third of three wartime substitutes which maintained the unbroken continuity of the race from 1839. Aintree having been taken over by the War Office late in 1915, the National was transferred to Gatwick, the site of the present airport.
There were 17 runners for the race over the full National distance, Poethlyn winning by four lengths. The following year the race was restored to its rightful place with Poethlyn installed as a hot favourite at 11/4 despite the fact that he had the welter burden of 12st 7lbs on his back.
Again ridden by Piggott he was a ready winner in a field of 22, 11 of whom got round, fully justifying the confidence of his supporters and joining the elite who had won in successive years. It was Poethlyn's ninth victory in succession.
He was bred by the owner's husband, Major Hugh Peel, who had bought the dam Fine Champagne at auction for 25 guineas. Mated with Rydal Head the foal had been sold to a Shrewsbury hotelier for seven guineas.
Poethlyn was bought back by Major Peel for 50 guineas, along with the promise of the first salmon he caught on the river Dee that year, and given to his wife.
Born in 1910 Poethlyn died in 1940 aged 30. He is remembered today by a row of eight houses in School Lane, Overton, named Poethlyn Terrace.
In 1937 each tenant of the Bryn y Pys estate was presented with a signed print by Major Peel (seen above). It shows Poethlyn standing in the park in front of the Hall together with a greyhound, Bryn Truthful, the winner of the 1934 coursing classic the Waterloo Cup, and owned by Major Peel.
When he died, Poethlyn, along with Bryn Truthful, was buried in the pet cemetery in the grounds of Bryn y Pys.
your comments
Brian Lee
To Murray from San Francisco. For information on the Welsh Grand National first run at Cardiff's Ely Racecourse see my book The Welsh Grand National-from Deerstalker to Supreme Glory by Brian Lee and published by Tempus.
Thu Feb 28 08:43:36 2008
Peter from Dudleston Heath
There is a very good display about the horse Poethlyn inside the White Horse pub on the main street in Overton. There is an excellent large framed photo of the horse and his trainer.
Mon Dec 24 09:54:01 2007
Murray from San Francisco
Alan, I am trying to get information on the welsh grand national, my uncle Joe (Joe Bell) who worked for the Cundells at lambourne? may have rode a welsh grand national winner sometime in the forties or early fifties? Could you shed some light on this?
Mon Sep 11 09:21:06 2006
Mrs Jacqueline Dignam, Overton
When I was a child on the Wirral my Nan used to tell me of the time her father won a large sum betting on a horse in the Grand National, this horse she told me had been a milk horse. I always doubted this (shame on me). I now live in one of the lodge houses to the Bryn-y-Pys Estate and have seen Poethlyn's grave whilst walking my dog. Little did I know until reading the info on your site that this was the horse she was referring to! I can almost hear her now, saying, 'I told you so'! Sorry Nan.
Fri Jun 16 10:32:37 2006
ray hinsley
I was born in the terraced cottages oppsite the old school in 1936.My mother & Father and us six children were the first tenants of 9 Poethlyn. Three of us live in Bristol and my sister Millie is still alive and well and living in the USA
Thu Nov 3 20:52:00 2005
Dave
How do pronounce Poethlyn? Is it just Poth-lin?
Thanks.
Tue Feb 15 17:35:24 2005
Alan Jeffries
'Poethlyn' means Hot Lake - hot lake is a rare name for a few houses in Overton! Ah they say, but Poethlyn was a horse who pulled a milk float around the village during the first World War. So what? Well, he retired from the shafts in 1918, did a few laps around Bangor Racecourse, then won the Grand National two years in succession!! I reckon he could go down as 'The Fastest Milk Horse in the West'!
Wed Mar 17 10:19:13 2004
We're not updating this page but we still want your stories so get in touch or go to Memoryshare.
Contributor Alan Jones writes about the Grand National double winner, Poethlyn, from Overton...
