| Grand National | |
| Location | Aintree |
|---|---|
| Date | 28 February 1849 |
| Winning horse | Peter Simple |
| Starting price | 20/1 |
| Jockey | Tom Cunningham |
| Trainer | Tom Cunningham |
| Owner | Finch Mason, Jr. |
| Conditions | Heavy (soft in places) |
The 1849 Grand National Steeplechase was the 11th official annual running of a handicap steeplechase horse race at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool on Wednesday, 28 February. It attracted a field of twenty-four competitors for a prize valued at £825.[1]
The race was won by Tom Cunningham on Finch Mason's Peter Simple, having also trained the horse himself.[1] Cunningham wore Finch Mason's colours of green silks with salmon sleeves and pink cap.[2] (*there was no Liverpool Mercury published on this date. Unsure where the source found the info on the colours) The horse won in a time of 10 minutes 56 seconds, seventeen seconds slower than the course record set two years earlier. For the second consecutive year there were three equine fatalities during the race, taking the number of fatalities in the history of the race to eight and leading to heavy criticism in the press.[1][3] The owner was not the same Finch Mason who achieved fame painting racing scenes in the latter half of the 19th century.