Grand Sefton Steeplechase Grand Sefton Steeplechase The Grand Sefton Handicap Chase is a National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged six years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 5 furlongs (2 miles 5 furlongs and 19 yards, or 4,242 metres), and during its running there are eighteen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place in December. It was first run over a one hundred year period from 1865 to 1965 as part of Ainree's autumn meeting and was run over a distance of just under
Steeplechase (horse racing) on the mile long course, and the race was run in three heats. The first recognised English National Steeplechase took place on Monday 8 March 1830. The race, organised by Thomas Coleman of St Albans, was run from Bury Orchard, Harlington in Bedfordshire to the Obelisk in Wrest Park, Bedfordshire. The winner was Captain Macdowall on "The Wonder", owned by Lord Ranelagh, who won in a time of 16 minutes 25 seconds. Report of the event appeared in the May and July editions of "Sporting Magazine" in 1830. In Great Britain and Ireland, "steeplechase" only refers to one branch of