Cure All

In 1845 a horse bought for £50 from a sale won the Grand National against the odds.

That horse was Cure All, owned and rode by William Loft. William was a gentleman farmer from Healing. He lived at The Rookery , which still stands in the Lincolnshire village today, though it is no longer a farm. Its land is now covered by new builds and its once barns and outbuildings have been converted to housing.

Horncastle Horse Fair

Horse fairs were common around the country. People would travel from far to a good sale. Horncastle was one such popular fair that attracted people from around the country. The town was granted its charter in 1299, and by 1306 had become the leading fair for equines in England.

Buyers were prepared to pay between £150 and £600 for a decent horse. In 1839 the Grand National winner Lottery had been purchased from here.

Cure All, a brown horse, found himself for sale at the Fair in 1843. He was being sold for £240. He was tried by one prospective buyer who rode him out and returned him lame. William came along and offered £50 for him.

Life at Healing

The horse came to its new home at The Rookery, where it was used by William as a farm horse. Used as a farm hack, William also took him hunting.

He was well known in the social circles for his love of hunting and steeplechasing. The horse proved himself in the hunting field and showed what a stunning jumper he was.

He came to the attention of William Sterling-Crawford, a racehorse owner. He’d placed his horse into the Grand National but when it was forced to withdraw, Loft agreed to lease Cure All on the proviso that he could ride him.

Grand National 1845

The railway had not reached Liverpool, so the horse and the entourage made their way to Aintree by road and rail when possible.

They arrived in the evening one day before the race. They were both in such a state that bookmakers offered any price as no one believed he would do well.

The ground was hard having rained the day before followed by a hard frost. Sterling-Crawford complained about the going, saying it was too unsafe. All other owners voted in favour of the race being run.

It worked in Cure All’s favour, as many horses quickly tired leaving him to outrun them and come home in record time of 10 minutes 47 seconds. They won 590 sovereigns. The race was held on 5 March.

Only four horses are officially recorded as having completed the race. The favourite Vangaurd ridden by Tom Oliver was pulled up.

When the horse returned to Healing with Loft and groom Christopher ‘Kitty’ Crisp, the bells pealed out to celebrate their victory.

Painting

A watercolour was painted of Cure All ridden by Loft with Crisp standing at the side.

The original is still owned by the Loft family but was loaned to Mark Brennan, who owns Healing Manor Hotel to hang in a room at the hotel called the Cure All Lounge.

I have a copy of the painting which was bought at an antiques centre in Horncastle.