Buick Regal

The Buick Regal is an upscale mid-size car introduced by Buick for the 1973 model year. North American production ended in 2004 and began again in 2011. For the 2011 model year, Buick re-introduced the Regal to the North American market, positioned as an upscale sport sedan. Production and sales in China have continued since 1999.

For certain model years between 1973 and 2004, the Regal shared bodies and powertrains with the similar Buick Century. The current model (2011–present) is a badge-engineered version of the Opel Insignia, known as the Vauxhall Insignia in the UK.

First generation (1973–1977)

Buick had been the first GM division to bring a personal luxury car to market with its full-size 1963 Riviera, but was otherwise slow to react to the developing lower-priced mid-size personal luxury market, which Pontiac created with the 1969 Grand Prix and Chevrolet with the Monte Carlo the following year, 1970. At the same time, Oldsmobile added a formal notchback coupé to its intermediate line, the Cutlass Supreme, in 1970 and that model soon became Olds' best selling intermediate. Buick did not get its own personal luxury coupe until the GM intermediates were redesigned in 1973, the so-called "Colonnade" cars that eliminated hardtop models completely. In a curious name swap, the Skylark name was dropped from Buick's intermediate line and instead the Century nameplate, last used in the 1950s, was revived for them.

1858 Grand National

The 1858 Grand National was the 20th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 6 March 1858.

References

1948 Grand National

The 1948 Grand National was the 102nd renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 20 March 1948.

The race was won by the mare Sheila's Cottage at odds of 66/1. The winning jockey was Arthur Thompson and Neville Crump trained the winner. The pairing of Thompson and Crump would go on to win the Grand National again in 1952.

Sheila's Cottage became the first mare to win the National for 46 years, and only the 12th in the long history of the steeplechase.

First of the Dandies finished second, with Cromwell third and Happy Home fourth. Forty-three horses ran and all returned safely to the stables.

Finishing order

Non-finishers

References

1836 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase

The 1836 Grand Liverpool Steeplechase was the first of three unofficial annual precursors of a steeplechase which later became known as the Grand National.

The steeplechase was held at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England on 29 February 1836 and attracted a field of ten runners.

The winning horse was The Duke, ridden by Captain Martin Becher in the violet with white sleeves and cap colours of Mr Sirdefield, the landlord of the George Inn in Great Crosby and was trained privately. The race was won in a time of 20 minutes 10 seconds, over twice the present course record.

The race was a selling race and its status as an official Grand National was revoked some time between 1862 and 1873.

Finishing order

Non-finishers

The race

The race was started at 2pm over a course almost identical to the modern Grand National course, although the fences were all no more than 2-foot (0.61 m) high earth banks with the exceptions of two brooks and a water jump in front of the stands.