Skeleton of racing legend unveiled to celebrate Grand Natioal

Apr 1 2008 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

THE skeleton of Ambush II, the last Royal horse to win the Grand National, is on display at World Museum Liverpool for two weeks only to celebrate the annual racing event.

The horse won the famous Merseyside steeplechase in 1900 and caused a sensational upset by beating Manifesto, regarded by historians as an even greater national legend than Red Rum.

No-one is sure how the skeleton ended up in Liverpool.

Owned by the Prince of Wales – the future Edward VII – Ambush II was trained and ridden to victory by the famous jockey, Algy Anthony.

The museum has had the skeleton since 1961, although it hasn’t been on public display since the closure of the Museum of Liverpool Life at the Pier Head.

It originally came from the University of Liverpool’s Veterinary School – and experts would love to know how it got there.

For now, curators are just pleased to put Ambush II on show again. Clem Fisher, curator of vertebrate zoology at World Museum Liverpool, said: “We don’t really know why Edward VII gave it to the vet school – whether it came from him, or was somewhere else first, or if it was because of the Liverpool connection, or perhaps the school asked for it.

“It would be great to know anything more about him.”

Ambush II was bred in Ireland in 1894 and the 114-year-old skeleton is already proving a popular attraction.

Ms Fisher said: “It is just a great opportunity to get him out on display.

“One of the reasons for putting him out was so that people coming to the Grand National knew he was here and were able to drop in and come and see him.”

After its two weeks on show, the skeleton will have to undergo specialist treatment to help protect delicate areas such as the tail and shoulder-blades from the ravages of time. Ms Fisher added: “As a zoologist, it is really useful to have Ambush II around in terms of looking at anatomy and having that some-thing to help identify other bones found on archaeological digs.

“I’ve been watching people’s reactions and it has been really popular so far. Kids just love it – they think it is a dinosaur and it is interesting watching them work it out.”

Ambush II will be on display in the main foyer of World Museum Liverpool on William Brown Street until Sunday, April 13.

Anyone with any information about how the skeleton arrived in the city can contact the museum via its website.

RACING: PAGES 31-32

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