Ruby: National changes have gone far enough
An extensive review was carried out following the race 12 months ago which resulted in the drop on the landing side of Becher’s Brook being reduced, but that appears to be the main talking point once more.
The Aintree race is again under scrutiny after two horses, Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised and According To Pete, lost their lives.
While both horses suffered freak injuries – one fell while loose and the other was brought down by another horse – there have been calls for further modifications to the course.
“I think it was very unfortunate and unlucky that those two horses died,” said Walsh, who hopes to be back in action at the end of the week, or possibly sooner. “Synchronised got injured running loose and According To Pete was brought down, so you can’t blame the fences directly.”
“What I would say is that I thought the BHA and Aintree did a first-class job prior to the race.
“I thought the modifications to the fences were right as were the post-race horse welfare measures, and they also were very thorough in all their briefings.
“I thought they did a great job, and couldn’t have done much more.”
According To Pete’s trainer Malcolm Jefferson obviously felt the loss more than most, yet he feels the changes to the course have also gone far enough.
“They can’t carry on making changes. In my eyes the fences should be bigger to slow them down. If they were a foot higher Pete would still have jumped them,” said Jefferson.
“Now they are trying to please everybody and you can’t. People say make the field smaller, but what if next year another two die? Then they’ll want 20 runners.
“Watering to ensure softer ground might help. There was a lot of carry on after last year’s race and I just wish they’d stop trying to please everyone because you can’t.
“It was just a freak accident. He was loving it, jumping for fun – I always thought he would. If he’d just been brought down and got back up again we‘d be taking him back next year, but he broke his shoulder unfortunately.
“You can’t do anything about it, it’s just a freak accident that could have happened anywhere, but because it was the National everyone saw it.
“The National is a great race and the only reason you get such a reaction is because so many people watch it.
“If I have a suitable horse next year, I’ll enter him. You’ve got to support the race, it’s our biggest day of the year.”
Meanwhile, Paul Bittar, the British Horseracing Authority’s chief executive, will meet with animal welfare groups next week with the Grand National on the list of topics for discussion.
While plenty involved in the sport are resistant to more changes to the National course, the charity World Horse Welfare believes the public will ‘not stomach’ more tragedies.
WHW chief executive Roly Owers said: “Racing must understand that the public can no longer stomach almost regular deaths in this high-profile race.
“We fully appreciate, as should everyone, that all horse sport carries risks, but there are acceptable risks and unacceptable risks and it doesn’t appear as if that balance is right in the Grand National.
“We will be asking serious questions of the BHA and will also be talking to Aintree racecourse once they have completed their review.
“In particular, we will be asking questions about the number and nature of fallers, the number of runners, the structure of the fences and the ‘drop’ fences which have lower landings than take-offs, among other issues. Where we deem changes are necessary, we will press strongly for them.”
