How Grand Is This?

How Grand Is This?

By Vicky Moon

Valerie Embrey’s great grandfather, George Blackwell and Sergeant Murphy on Newmarket Heath 1923.

Each April, Valerie Archibald Embrey’s thoughts turn to the Grand National Steeplechase that’s been taking place in Aintree, England since 1839. It’s a sensational, yet grueling course of thirty jumps over four miles and two and a half furlongs. Notable jumps include The Chair and Becher’s Brook, then add ditches, water and solid spruce leaps over five feet.

George Blackwell is the small gentleman next to the head lad. Unsaddling after the win.

George Harvey Blackwell on an Ogden Cigarette card with Stephen Sanford‘s (owner of Sergeant Murphy) colors

My great grandfather’s Grand National Trophy left to me by his son, Bloodstock agent George Blackwell who was my Great Uncle.

Painting by William Orphem: Laddie Sanford, George Blackwell, Sergeant Murphy, Captain Bennett and Alfred Munnings leaning against the tree.

Horses are in Valerie’s blood. Her father, the late George Archibald, was a steeplechase jockey who rode in the Grand National six times and later was a prominent trainer. She rode ponies and horses. But this year is especially notable because her great-grandfather, George Harvey Blackwell, won the Grand National 100 years ago with Sergeant Murphy, a 13-year-old Irish bred chestnut gelding.

The horse was owned by Stephen “Laddie” Sanford of the Mohawk River Valley in upstate New York and was the first American-owned horse to win the prestigious event. The 2023 £1,000,000 race will take place on Saturday, April 15 (check your local listings).

Other previous entries with American ties include the 1938 victory of Battleship owned by Marion du Pont Scott and sired by Man o’ War. And then there was Jay Trump, a former race horse in Charles Town, West Virginia, who won in 1964 with American jockey Tommy Smith. Another American jockey, Charlie Fenwick, won it in 1980 on Ben Nevis for American-owner Redmond Stewart.

This year, watch out for Cape Gentleman to run under Hurricana Farm owned by a partnership of Pierre Manigault (who rode and trained in the Middleburg area for several years), Quintie Smith and Alec Smith. He’s trained by Arch Kingsley, another familiar name in Middleburg, now based in Camden, South Carolina.

Alfred Munnings portrait of George Blackwell and Sergeant Murphy in Newmarket on display in Saratoga at the National Museum of Racing.