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Venture to cognac, you have put everything so well. I agree with it all. I too am a Grand National nut. Its that race that grew my interest in all areas of National Hunt. The first national I remember was 1989 with Beech Road vs Celtic Shot in the Hurdle curtain raiser followed by the National. The race was watched round someone else’s house. At 8 years old I still remember a family member stating "this is the worst fence!" as they jumped the Water and even at that age thinking "no its not!" and I remember Julian Wilson telling the audience "they are going round a dead horse" or similar as they approached Becher’s the second time.
It was after that race that the last MAJOR changes to the race occurred (1960 or 62 before that?)
Often people say Dark Ivy was the death that led to the changes. I think not. Whatever uproar it caused in 87 the changes only took place after the total openness of Julian Wilson followed by the newspapers showing photos of Brown Trix being pulled out of the ditch the next day. The headlines "National disgrace".
The photos from this race would have shocked a few, but I think the race is safe until this happens again in the next year or two – a bit like Dark Ivy and a 2 year gap to 89.
But the crazy thing is (topham deaths aside) these were the first National deaths caused directly by in race falling since Goguenard in 2003 (3 of the 4 since were running loose and Hear the Echo’s collapse). So why the big uproar? The bipassing clearly caused it. It was unprecedented. Yet the bipassing was made available by safety steps Aintree brought in to help the loose horses after the fatalities of the last 5 years. Being good was a big own goal.
Luckily the big hoo haa seems to have died down a bit now. Its totally out of the news with not even a week gone since the race.
But I’m with you and the only change I could ever envisage is moving the race to a point in time when it could be safer heat. Or making sure the start of the race doesn’t involve such a build up. In 2009 Hear The Echo collpased and died but not after running 4m 4f. He died after a long parade, 2 or 3 false starts and then 4m 4f in sweltering heat.
My only changes then – shorten the pre race build up – investigate moving the date of the race.
As you say – anything else would be jumping the gun
Less runners? Deaths with small field Nationals in late 90s.
Quality of horses? Already improved after 1998 fatalities (and no one has run from outside the handicap for years)
Fences? Lowering them already made horses jump safer didn’t it……NOT.Crikey they should show a tape of a 1920s Grand National with a poor horse nose diving into the Becher’s ditch to an Animal Aid representative.
Pinza – Agree totally. What made this years fatalities stand out (as I mentioned – they are the first National deaths due to falling at a fence since 2003) is that they were highlighted by terrible work by the BBC camera/production team, and bypassing the fences.
Therefore the danger here is that mass modification to the race will occur due to the public’s perception that the race was worse than ever. This was the case in 1987 when Dark Ivy, a stand out white horse and the only one in the race, died at Bechers in the worst way possible and then in 1989 Julian Wilson calling "they are being diverted to the inside due to a dead horse". What followed was the mass changes – rightly so to Becher’s, but wrongly to the height of the normal fences.
Yeah but I take Ornais and put forward Surface to Air. A great run after a long time off and injury.
Actually looking at that list brings the current uproar into context. These 2 deaths yesterday were the first deaths caused directly by a horse falling in the Grand National since Goguenard in 2003 (and even that was due to a loose horse).
Tyneandtyneagain was running loose when a horse jumped onto his back – freak accident. Graphic Approach was running loose in hot conditions – heat exhaustion caused it. McKelvey sadly ran loose into a rail. Hear the Echo collapsed.
So in fact, you could say that the course IS very safe. The accidents yesterday were rare. And that the biggest issue of concern is the temperature on the day causing exhausted horses. Run the race late March. Job done.
Here we go – The sad list of death. The only reason I’m posting it is to show the increase in modern day deaths since the animal brigade for the fences lowered.
Dictator in 1839. 1845:Clansman, 1848:Counsellor, The Sailor and Blue Pill, 1849:Kilfane, The Curate and Equinox, 1854:Bedford, 1855:Miss Mowbray, 1856:Banstead, 1861:The Conductor, 1863:Telegraph, 1868:Chimney Sweep, 1871:Lord Raglan, 1872:Primrose and Nuage, 1875:Laburnam, 1882:Wild Monarch, 1888:Usna, 1891:Emperor, 1894:Carrollstown, 1901:True Blue, 1907:Kilts, 1922:Awbeg and The Inca, 1923:Masterful, 1926:Lone Hand, 1929:Stort, 1930:Derby Day, 1931:Drin and Swift Roland, 1936:Avenger, 1946:Symbole, 1947:Lindhill, 1949:Bora’s Cottage, 1950:Royal Mount, 1952:Skouras, 1953:Cardinal Error and Parasol II, 1954:Dominick’s Bar, Paris New York, Coneyburrow and Legal Joy, 1959:Henry Purcell, 1960:Belsize II, 1963:Avenue Neuilly, 1967:Vulcano, 1968:Champion Prince, 1970:Racoon, 1973:Grey Sombrero, 1975:Land Lark and Beau Bob, 1977:Winter Rain and Zeta’s Son, 1978:Rag Trade, 1979:Kintai and Alverton, 1983:Duncreggan, 1984:Earthstopper, 1987:Dark Ivy, 1989:Seeandem and Brown Trix, 1990:Roll A Joint and Hungry Hur, 1991:Ballyhane, 1996:Rust Never Sleeps, 1997:Straight Talk and Smith’s Band, 1998:Pashto, Do Rightly and Griffin’s Bar, 1999:Eudipe, 2002:The Last Fling and Manx Magic, 2003:Goguenard, 2006:Tyneandthyneagain, 2007:Graphic Approach, 2008:McKelvey, 2009:Hear The Echo
63 deaths in the years of the "barbaric" higher upright fences – 1839 to 1990 (with the majority being caused by Becher’s, The Chair and the Canal Turn…1 death every 2.3 years.
Then since the fences were lowered – 19 fatalities 1990 to 2011. 1 death every 1.15.
Death toll has doubled.
Its the ground, the lower fences, and the speed of the race.
Run it on Soft, Good to soft. Raise the normal fence height, job done.
You could argue Becher’s is more dangerous since they lowered the fence heights too. They should have kept it the same height but removed much of the drop and the risk of rolling into the ditch. Right now there is a bit of a drop but with a flat landing side and a low height meaning horses jump it like any other fence (like a hurdle) so if they misjudge that – BANG. If it was higher, they may well fall on the landing side by crumpling, but they are less likely to break necks/backs.
I can’t believe there are horse racing fans on THIS SITE calling for the race to be dumped due to fatalities and dragging down the rest of the sport!!! I think 33 deaths at the Aintree festival is on a par with Cheltenham’s record. So do we dump the blue ribband festival too? Oh and whilst we’re at it they normally have some deaths in the Irish National – get rid of that. And the races in Jan and Feb have a pretty poor fatality record. Hell lets just run from October to December. King George can be the curtain call. Ah sod it lets just end the sport. Where shall we send the horses?
I have tried to comment on the Daily Mail article but they won’t post my thoughts. The facts are that the anti racing groups have caused MORE Grand National course deaths by getting the fences lowered back in 1990.
There was a listing somewhere of all National fatalities in history and I am pretty certain that the unnamed fences have claimed more lives since they were lowered than before 1990. It used to be Becher’s, Canal Turn and The Chair causing any injury and they have been made a lot safer and rarely cause injury now than before 1990.
So bowing to the (lets face it) uneducated extreme animal rights bodies (as opposed to the constructive RSPCA) will only lead to more death and pain for the horses than they currently get.
And the reporting in that Mail article also fails to mention that 3 of the fatalities over the last 11 years (McKelvey, Graphic Approach and Tyneandtyneagain) were caused when they were running loose under their own steam (instead making out the fence they fell at was the cause)
Ironically Aintree being safety conscious has caused even more outrage as normally they would jump the half of the fence where the fallen horse was and nobody would know. Bypassing fences was so unprecedented that it has opened a lot of eyes to what has been happening for years.
I agree with the suggestions of keeping the race and rules as they are (the animal rights people making out the race contains no hopers is ludicrous – that was ironed out after the 1998 race) – I would keep the field of 40 though. I would move it 2 weeks back into March. I would make sure the ground was always the soft side of good. And I would RAISE the height of the fences to stop them being taken like hurdles.
Yes it was an awesome race. I thought Graham Lee had reserved enough energy on Big Fella Thanks jumping the last in 2nd/3rd but alas he didn’t last home again.
Calgary Bay is alive (they probably guessed that based off it falling at the same fence Ornais died at). Dooney’s Gate died too.
Doesn’t look like Denman will race – and if he does I’d say it’ll be because connections feel pressure not to let punterspunchestown attendees down. Ground is firming up too much. Hope he gets back safe.
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.
Yeah only with Denman in will they run. Vic and Apalachi are both due to go up 7 or 8 lbs due to the Bobbyjo chase as well.
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.
Conna Castle was the MVP of the Grand National! Didn’t expect that from the horse. What a performance of jumping! And the pace he set molded the race into what it was. Black Apalachi and Hello Bud deserve mention too.
Don’t Push It deserves more of a mention to be honest – Its like the final results reads 1. McCoy 2. Black Apalachi etc.
Darren Owen is ok because he is so enthusiastic. I’d keep him. Plus he gets bonus points for calling that girl jock on Forest Gunner the "galloping mother" a few years back
However – he failed to pick up a faller at the Canal Turn one of his big fences.McGrath – Needs to retire. Rambles on about nothing, throws in racing cliches and it is unforgiveable to not pick up a faller on your main fence (The chair). Last year I’m sure he failed to pick up Zabenz being the first horse to fall at the water for many many years.
Ian Bartlett – Awesome. Keeps it all together by picking up the fallers not noticed by McGrath and Owen. Showed how tough it can be though calling Cloudy Lane Cloudy Bay.
New camera angles. I really liked them – especially for HD. Really showed off the speed of the race, and somehow made the fences (especially the Chair and Bechers) look much bigger than they are these days. Good work! Better than RUK’s cameras anyway…for the time being.
Stupid trend – stupidly pointed out by the bbc before the race and….it came true. The last 11 races have now had 9 winners with some green colouring in the silks!
Anyway – Maljimar – That horse was running an absolute blinder. He was staying on into 6th or 7th at the time he fell. Knowing he stays 4m and knowing that he has been seen to run on – I think he would have been in the first 3 as a minimum.
Next year I would look at Vic Venturi. He was brought to a stand still by Eric’s Charm at the first but still got back into a rhythm and kept with the pack on not ideal ground. Then brought down by the melee caused by My Will falling again.
