McCain cautious on Aintree fence changes

Donald McCain has given a guarded welcome to the innovation of new plastic birch for the so-called ‘cores’ of the Grand National fences at Aintree this year.

It was announced in September that the centre of the fences, which have traditionally been made up of timber and protective rubber padding, would be trialled with a different make-up, more forgiving to horses, at the Becher Chase meeting in December.

On the day, jockeys gave an approval in what appeared to be a smooth change, with all the fences on the famous course looking outwardly the same.