Three dead

I was checking the form of Pentland Hills yesterday and watched the Triumph video. I was surprised that Sir Erec had been edited out. What a joke sport this is. Do they think that by airbrushing him out his broken leg didn't happen? Everything is a PR exercise now. ITV saying the green screens are for privacy is a joke. They're to stop viewers seeing injured horses. If you can't show the game warts and all you shouldn't be showing it. To do otherwise is propaganda you media bull****s.

I rarely cry now days but on my replay SIR EREC brought me to tears watching  luke interviewing the farrier ,jockey etc when the horse had spread a plate prior to the race andthen see it mortally wounded 5 minutes later was fecking cruel and heart breaking.

Similar injury to Starchitect. Horrible to watch a leg hanging only by skin but you should be prepared to see it otherwise you shouldn't be watching the game. If the only way they think they're going to draw new supporters in is to dumb it down and pretend to the children that bad stuff doesn't really happen then the National Hunt game has had it imo. As for Ed Chamberlain's funeral face when he announces the death of a horse then five seconds later he's back trying to chat up Francesca - give me a fecking break.

Once again ITV edit out a fatality. I hope all the kids dragged along to Aintree by their parents enjoyed the sight of Up For Review thrashing about in his death throes after the first.
I think sports involving killing stuff will always be niche. The problem comes when the people making money from the sport get greedy and chase a bigger audience and that's why they have to crank up the PR machine.

No one "enjoyed" that Autoque though i know you aren't meaning it, i tend to agree it isn't wrong to leave out showing it again,no reason to.Not too enamoured myself with the "jolly hockey sticks" coverage overall also.
Poor horse was terribly unlucky as he jumped the fence fine.

Yes, I love horses and I'm also cynical of modern racing coverage. I think they're turning the sport to ****.

The fact that gambling is such a big part of it(racing) deserves imo a more serious approach,of course Saturday/casual punters it caters to but way too much fawning and trying to make stories is puke inducing, maybe thats me.

I like to think horse racing is not a joke sport.
If any participants in any sport lose their right to inhabit this mortal coil  its not a joke.
The coverage of the sport by profit motivated media might be a joke agreed.
Being an owner of horses you cannot help falling for the breed and consequently any injury displayed on easily accessed media is sad and difficult to view.

I thought ITV handled the death of Up For Review pretty well all told.

Yes the review of the race edited out the first fence fatality however Ed Chamberlain drew attention to the death of Up For Review very ealy in the post-race celebrations when he knew this had occured. I thought he handled it calmly and well given the maelstron surrounding Tiger Roll's momentous victory.

I think the interview with Louise Magee (Tiger Roll's stable lass) was a great counterpoint to the death of Up for review, showing the sheer love and care that is afforded to horses in racing stables.

In amongst the hours of coverage given to the Grand national, I would love a section where there is a measured, sober explanation of the unwritten 'deal' racegoers and punters strike with horseracing - the understanding that this is a 'risk' sport (NOT a bloodsport) where animals may get killed. In return for this risk, horses are given the very best of treatment and are loved by connections and, even the lowliest plater, by true racing fans and what a way to live a life that you are bred to undertake - if only human beings could live with such nobility and sense of purpose.

.....and then viewers should be invited to turn off if they don't understand and accept this.

'Turkeys voting for Christmas'. Undobtedly true but it puts 'Racing PLC' right on the frnt foot when it comes to dealing with the mealy-mouthed mewlings of th Animal Aid brigade.