Following the tragic deaths of two runners in this year’s Grand National, the height of two iconic hurdles at the famous Aintree racecourse will be lowered.
The fatalities of Dooneys Gate and Ornais at the fourth jump and Becher’s Brook hurdle, respectively, have prompted the first changes to the track since the filling of ditches in 1989.
One of the alterations includes a reduction of nearly 13cm to the drop on the landing of Becher’s Brook.
To mitigate risks, the fourth jump has been decreased to 1.47 metres after a thorough review of the race and the incidents by the authorities.
During the three-day meeting in 2010, four horses lost their lives, and five in the previous year.
Since the year 2000, 33 horses have died at the spring festival, leading to ongoing protests from animal welfare organizations.
Television audiences witnessed Dooneys Gate and Ornais lying on the ground as horses sped around the circuit during the second lap of the event this year.
“It is not possible to completely eliminate risk in horse racing,” stated Julian Thick, managing director of Aintree.
“Nevertheless, I believe that the changes we are announcing for the course will have a positive effect over time.”
“Raising the landing zone at Becher’s Brook is certainly a forward step,” commented David Muir, an equine consultant at the RSPCA.
“However, the RSPCA continues to express concerns regarding drop fences.”
Donald McCain, who trained this year’s winner Ballabriggs and whose father, Ginger, is a four-time winner largely thanks to Red Rum, cautiously welcomed the proposed changes.
“I have no objections to Aintree’s efforts to make the race safer, but I wish we could recognize that the National is one of the greatest races in the world,” McCain expressed.
“It is unfortunate that the views of individuals with no experience in livestock or those who only watch racing once a year bear so much weight.”
by Buford Balony
