Looking forward to it.

I wonder how many horses will die this year

Shall we take bets?

I wonder that too.......

Dreadful to think that of all those lovely horses a couple might go home on the meat wagon and not in their luxury horse boxes. There is risk and there is risk and IMO possible odds of 20/1 against getting home isn't ideal.

We'll see---didn't they make some changes? Really hope they all survive.

rune

Personally I absolutely love it.

I am fairly sure there will be an accident free year largely due to changes in criteria, which means that it's harder for godawful horses to get in. Both of the horses that sadly died last year SHOULD NOT have been in it, as they were NOT good jumpers. There was another horse that decked Aidan the fence before the chair that the yard staff had a sweepstake on how far he'd get round, most of whom wanted an 'early fence' as he's a horrific jumper. Thankfully he's ok.

Also changes have been made, fence heights have been lowered (though this is very contentious, as usually horses jump the bigger fences better, watch a hurdles race and then a steeple chase, the steeple chasers have a LOT more respect for their fences) the landing side on beeches has been levelled and improved, and the ground on the taking off and landing side of the fence has been improved. the Grand National is one of a fair number of races run over those fences, and thus in this season those changes appear to have worked.

Add to this that thankfully the ground is Good to Soft Soft in places, not good good to firm in places and it'll be a lot easier for the horses. It's far better that its muddy, slow ground and less of them finish, than it's firm ground and it does some real damage if they fall.

The main problem with the grand national is the fact they all go off at a cavalry charge, they blaze off like they are going round a 1mile flat race, and it is TOO FAST to jump at speed. National hunt horses don't usually blaze off like that they go off at barely more than a canter. Despite several warnings pre race (they get fully briefed in the weighing room) telling them not to go off like a bat out of hell they still do. Very frustrating.

But don't for a second assume that the people who put their horses forwards don't love them, Andy Stewart (lovely man who owned Ornais) was BAWLING last year, and this is a piece that Dooneys Gate's jockey wrote about him http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse...writersawards/

I have very mixed views regarding the Grand National. I have been a horse owner for 40 years, for the last 10 of those years I have been involved in the rehabilitation and retraining of ex racehorses.

A horse does not avoid potential fatality just because it is a 'good jumper'. Accidents happen, it's a large field!

IMO less horses in the field would reduce the accidents caused by loose horses, fallen horses in front, not being able to approach a fence on the right line because of the crush etc etc. The jumps need to be kinder and the race needs to be shorter. This of course would remove the eliteness of the race.

It is true that TB were bred to race, but not all TB enjoy racing. Some are bred to jump - do they all enjoy their job.......absolutely not!

The boy I have now, I took him on as a 4yo after a very short flat racing career, He was best placed 3rd. They tried him over the flights at which point he fell and fractured his neck. It took 4 years of rehabilitation to retrain him as a dressage horse.

5 years after his racing career ended, The exracers club invited us to do a drill ride at Pontefract racecourse to demonstrate to the punters that TBs have a life after racing and that they go on to excel in other disciplines. My horse (Cello) is the most laid back, gentle, calm TB you could ever wish to meet. On that day I saw a side to Cello that I never want to see again. Just being in the parade ring was almost too much for him. Let me make this clear, he was not excited! He was terrified!

I honestly thought I could calm him. My best friend was riding him, I was leading him. We took him down the shoot and walked to the finish line where the drill ride (to Thin Lizzy's The Boys Are Back In Town) was to take place.

Shortly after this pic was taken we withdrew Cello and returned to the wagon


He chilled out immediately but our rehabilitation had taken a huge step backwards.

I have seen far too many times the emotional and physical trauma caused by racing. Some horses DO love it and I don't have a problem with that. Some horses race purely because they are told to do so.

As a horse lover and owner would I subject my buddy to a 1/20 chance of serious injury/fatality....................absolutely NOT!

But that's where I differ to racehorse owners and trainers, for them it's about the glory.

could not agree any less with the statement it's all about the glory for the owners and trainers. I actually feel really REALLY insulted by it.

Well I know it's not about the money, the large majority of racers are money pits. Me and thousands like me, have taken on TBs that have either not cut the grain from the start, or have 'retired'. ALL the owners/trainers I have been involved only invest in potential winners or those that can be placed regularly in the course of their career.

I have witnessed many times 2 year olds being xrayed with horrendous results. Joint damage normally associated with a horse 20 years its senior. These horses then being sent to market or put up for rehoming.

Please enlighten me, if it's not about the money, or about the glory, what is it about?

I know there are many caring owners and trainers out there, unfortunately IME they are not in the majority.

There is NO money in National Hunt racing. My opinions on flat racing are different, and there i would agree with you, it's basically a factory. But you get more money winning a rubbish midweek handicap on the flat than you would winning the supreme novices at cheltenham! It's about a bit of fun, I have a connection to a broodmare, who used to go in races as a 200-1 shot, she'd have the time of her life, she was the quietest thing at home, but on course she'd perk up like you wouldn't believe and LOVED it. We have her with a man, who doesn't exactly send out 25 horses to cheltenham, instead is a bit of a barefoot nutter who takes on many 'untrainable' horses, and gets them chilled and back racing. He's a really talented bloke, but low profile because he's not a championship trainer. Small time trainers, and realistically, most of them are bar the pipes, nicholls, hendersons and o'neills, and few others DONT have yards full of horses are going to even get in to the big handicaps like the national, let alone win them, the owners of most racehorses are usually people or families that have done well for themselves and want a bit of FUN.

I too have taken on ex racehorses, including one who shock horror had been round aintree a fair few times and fell once, he was the soundest horse i've ever ridden and at 22 still hunts most weekends with his owner. I've recently personally rehomed 2 horses off my own back. I swear by NH horses and would rather have a retired NH horse than a warmblood in most circumstances.

Yes there are bad trainers out there, but i've been to lots of yards, met lots of people and in all that time there is only one i wouldn't touch with a bargepole