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Sadly the Mildmay Course did claim a victim – Schindlers Hunt . Just before the race Richard Hughes was interviewed and his enthusiasm and excitement were clear. I really felt for him and his father at what happened and the fall was one of several in the meeting that made for uncomfortable viewing.
Like you Craig I have felt that the course claims more than its share of fatalities. Is that due to the going in April? Is it as problematic at say the November meeting?
I wouldn’t be as against banning jump racing as I would have been 2 or 3 years ago. Think about it, people only enjoy seeing horses jump fences or hurdles at the speed in a race for the increased risk. The risk contains the excitement. And if you know the risk will take a huge amount of casualties, I fail to see the excitement.
I remember the old Mildmay course. I think it might have lasted to about 1980? Theses fences were smaller versions of the National course fences. Why were they removed & placed by the conventional "park" fences? Was this a safety issue?
I think part of Aintree’s problem is that it is flat & fast any way & by April it is drying out. Yesterday I was working my allotment (in Lancashire) & had to water the beds to break up the soil for planting, after half an hour I had to water again, I think this illustrates some of the problems facing Aintree. Could they run it in March instead?I’d been wondering whether moving the National might not be a bad idea, for just that reason. Mid-February might be a better fit as a March meeting would clash with Cheltenham (which itself gets more than its fair share of fast, drying ground).
I wouldn’t think moving the race would make much of a difference, considering that the Maryland Hunt Cup is run the last weekend of April, Virginia Gold Cup is the first Saturday in May, New York Turf Writer’s Cup is at the end of August, etc. So the ground probably has less to do with the number of injuries than the hell-bent-for-leather style of riding. A horse that has been running all season may be worn out by April, but at the same time, chasers are running much less frequently than in the past. I’d say raise the fences, reduce the size of the field, and most importantly, try to get the loose horses off the course as soon as possible so they don’t interfere with the runners.
I wouldn’t be as against banning jump racing as I would have been 2 or 3 years ago. Think about it, people only enjoy seeing horses jump fences or hurdles at the speed in a race for the increased risk. The risk contains the excitement. And if you know the risk will take a huge amount of casualties, I fail to see the excitement.
I am thinking that you are not a fan of NH, are you a fan of the flat? Are you in favour of the Derby being switched from Epsom to a flat track?
"Close 3rd, left 2nd at 6th, led 5 out, travelling best after 3 out, ridden and strongly pressed from 2 out, joined when fell last, dead (op 11/10)"
Yesterday Jagoes Mills died (promising novice chaser) at Limerick. Horses die week in week out on race courses, and it is not exclusive to Aintree. I am a bit bemused at some of the comments here, NH racing is dangerous full stop, I enjoy watching it, but I do realise there could be fatalities.
JohnJ
I don’t think it needs to be changed anymore. Keep it as it is. We follow a sport where we know the risks. Other than wrapping a horse in cotton wool you cannot protect it. Celestial Halo could just as easily have been killed falling at the second last hurdle as those poor 2 at Valentines or Schindlers. Its the sad price we pay for the magical sport we enjoy.
I wouldn’t be as against banning jump racing as I would have been 2 or 3 years ago. Think about it, people only enjoy seeing horses jump fences or hurdles at the speed in a race for the increased risk. The risk contains the excitement. And if you know the risk will take a huge amount of casualties, I fail to see the excitement.
I am thinking that you are not a fan of NH, are you a fan of the flat? Are you in favour of the Derby being switched from Epsom to a flat track?
"Close 3rd, left 2nd at 6th, led 5 out, travelling best after 3 out, ridden and strongly pressed from 2 out, joined when fell last, dead (op 11/10)"
Yesterday Jagoes Mills died (promising novice chaser) at Limerick. Horses die week in week out on race courses, and it is not exclusive to Aintree. I am a bit bemused at some of the comments here, NH racing is dangerous full stop, I enjoy watching it, but I do realise there could be fatalities.
JohnJ
Yes, of course I’m a flat fan, but I still watch NH racing. I just can’t get excited over it due to what I know is inevitable far too often. I question the sport morally – that is all.
Why would I be in favour of switching the Derby from Epsom to a flat track? It’s like me asking you if you feel the race should be for 5yo’s due to 5yo’s being more mature than 3yo’s.
It definitely doesn’t need anymore changes. It’s been changed enough, and if there is anymore, it just won’t be a Grand National. I don’t think moving it to another time of year would work. I think we can do without the risk of any postponements, which would inevitably happen. Reducing the number of runners would also be a no-go. The Grand National is about many things, one of them being, that it is a spectacle. Look back to 96 when there were 28 runners, poor Rust Never Sleeps broke a leg lobbing a way at the back of the field in plenty of space. Fatalitles will happen anywhere be it in a 40 runner national, a 10 runner chase, or a 7 runner sprint, not to mention on the gallops. 40 runners has absolutely no bearing on the risk to horses.
As for raising the height of fences, I’m actually in favour of that, but understandably, I think it would kick up too much controversy.
As I said, it just needs leaving alone!
I think thats a little hypocritical Jose, questioning NH racing, when flat racing has its own dangers and inevitabilities.
JohnJ.
Anyone that thinks the National still needs modifying needs to look up some of the very old nationals on youtube or british pathe preview. The 1954 one in particular. 4 fatalities – fences the height of brick walls. One horse hobbles away with a broken leg and all the jockey does is walk off in disgust at being out of the race and throws his hat down in a strop. We have come a long way and don’t need to go any further.
I
Think about it, people only enjoy seeing horses jump fences or hurdles at the speed in a race for the increased risk.Not sure that’s correct – the almost imperceptible beauty and majesty of seeing an equine athlete soar over a fence is a far more overriding attraction of National Hunt to many. I know I don’t watch it thinking, "now how many spills are we going to see today?"
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
I
Think about it, people only enjoy seeing horses jump fences or hurdles at the speed in a race for the increased risk.Not sure that’s correct – the almost imperceptible beauty and majesty of seeing an equine athlete soar over a fence is a far more overriding attraction of National Hunt to many. I know I don’t watch it thinking, "now how many spills are we going to see today?"
gc
Exactly my sentiments Jeremy. there is nothing finer than a great steeplechaser in full flight, except perhaps a beautiful Shire Horse in harness.
Is chasing worth it. To this horse lover, it certainly is.
I
Think about it, people only enjoy seeing horses jump fences or hurdles at the speed in a race for the increased risk.Not sure that’s correct – the almost imperceptible beauty and majesty of seeing an equine athlete soar over a fence is a far more overriding attraction of National Hunt to many. I know I don’t watch it thinking, "now how many spills are we going to see today?"
gc
But the speed and risk is part of the attraction. If you never knew the horse was at full speed, would you find it as exciting when they jump the last? Show Jumping contains beauty, but because horses aren’t racing each other, and the obstacles they jump provide a different test, it’s not as likely to attract people’s attention. And a horse galloping with a fluent stride at top speed, with less risk, because we know that’s the case, (yes, Flat Racing) should be capable of fulfilling any horse lovers’ happiness. Or not?
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My opinion may be ignorant to you Venetian, but it is my opinion and I am entitled to have that opinion. It’s no different to any opinion, if it differs radically from another, it certainly is not ‘ignorant’.
I find nothing pleasant in seeing a horse being forced to use an unnatural gait over an extended, some may say gruelling, trip. I see it as no different to a circus pony being trained to jump through hoops of fire. The pony will take no pleasure from it, but it does it because it knows it will get a whoopin’ if it doesn’t.
Ever tried walking much faster than you normally would, it makes the calfs ache like crazy. Now imagine some overweight antipodean armchair jockey forcing you to up the pace.You really are clueless aren’t you, can’t answer my simple questions so resort to spewing out more ludicrous bigotry.
It’s no wonder that opponents of racing, like Animalaid, so often get given such an easy ride by the media, when racing’s supporters are frequently maddeningly ignorant about their own sport.
If jump or any other form of racing ever gets banned in this country, the fault will lie as much with its friends as with its enemies.
Yet again you resort to slurs and misrepresentation. I am not against racing, and organisations like Animalaid and PETA are part of the problem rather than the solution.
Racing has never been so welfare driven in the UK, and there is no relation between my view of trotting and pacing versus racing a horse in a manner that replicates it’s native behaviour.Just having a browse always good to spot hypocrisy,you accuse the writer of ‘slurs’ and ‘misrepresentation’ then your own quote states similar to ‘some overweight antipodean armchair jockey’ People in glass houses
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