National spectacle ruined...

Wasn't there enough carnage for you?

depends if you are wanting to see carnage or a race

frankel next year

Not every horse that falls dies you idiots.
They need to reduce the field size not turn the fences into hurdles.

I certainly think Solwhit would have strolled that.

Only the second jumps race I've seen this year but looked ok to me. If people think the race has changed, best look for a different type of horse.

Cheltenham, you need to reflect on whose the idiot here mate

Trust that they will now leave it alone before they **** it up completly

Was a much more enjoyable race than last year. All horses home safely too.

will be a bumper soon

It was more to do with the jockeys being responsible

Looked more like a cross country race than a steeplechase. Just a stanima test now.

Gotta agree with the original poster, a tame affair lacking the usual drama whether that's a good thing or not

Yes I thought it had lost something

great race...i'll take that every time

Not one Commentator has the guts to say that these are now just joke fencfs. Softest in the land.

Best to lose something than the race from the calendar

Why would it be lost? There is no need to bow down to the RSPCA and the moaners.
Thats the way you lose it. The more you give the more they will want.

Four miles three and a half furlongs, thirty fences, much too easy. I'll pop round every saturday.

The Grand National has gone soft but a safer race.

3 fallers today.

Dotchinite, have to agree, at some point a line must be drawn or they will pick away further.

On His Own thought it was tough...

I'm not sure. If you'd asked me beforehand I'd have agreed with the original poster, pretty much. I don't want to see carnage but I want to see a proper test. However, the horses that jumped well came to the fore, and the ones that made mistakes lost ground and their chance with it. So maybe they've got it right. Glad to see everyone safe and sound today of all days anyway, because the BBC were primed to run an entire news program full of horror if a horse had been killed.

2 fallers; 6 unseated riders; 1 refused; 14 pulled up.

The difference may be a greater willingness to pull horses up when their chance has gone rather than chance them falling through tiredness.

I don't think so, most fallers tended to happen on the first circuit with the old fences.

If the fences were the same as say twenty years ago & there were only 16 runners there would still be fatalities, things move on, still a great spectacle & if its lost something with all the changes it is safer now, to be honest they really didn't have any choice but to make these changes, accept it & enjoy it for what it is even if you think its not the race it was.

I enjoyed the race, still a spectacle for me.

The fences may be softer, but having walked round the course on Thurs morning, they are still forboding objects.

duncan idaho
06 Apr 13 16:49
great race...i'll take that every time

Indeed dunc,

Pathetic thread imo...

The fences fell to pieces on impact, but it was still a great spectacle.I was against the changes but having seen the race must say, well done Aintree you have maintained the spectacle without injury to horse or rider.

Not for me,a very sanitised Grand National.Watching horses charging through loose bunches of spruce is no spectacle.Of course none of us want to see fallers,or worse still fatalities,but this is no longer the true test it once was.
   I am fed up with the hand-wringers talking about death of racehorses during races,or whatever,it happens on the flat,and over hurdles,unfortunately,not just in chases.
  Many courses have had their fences "modernised "to please the minority voices.
Listening to commentators and pundits talking about the daunting,or formidable chair fence,who are they trying to kid.Having walked the course when it was such a fence,today's version bears no resemblance whatsoever.
Each to their own,not for me anymore,and I speak as an ex owner,and somebody that loves animals.

Actually, I thought the race was good;  waht I didn't like was the editing.   C4 ed tried to miss the start when the crowd were roaring  but we had Simon Holt on screen,  then FAR TOO MANY pictures from the clouds where you had not a hope of identifying your horse.  Some commentating on trailing horses...easier than following the action !!     We just sisn't get into the traditional excitement.  !!!

C4 cameras as usual ruined a big Saturday race for me. Approaching the Chair and you can hardly make out your horse because they're using a camera that should only be used for replays. Any blimp hitmen out there?

Re-watched the race on Racing UK  came over a much better spectacle imo
Also remember the race was run on pretty good ground really, wait till it comes up  soft again it will come over as a much truer test.

Just watched a replay of the 74 GN and although the couse was a lot tougher there were no injuries reprted and not a single faller at bechers either circuit, although a few got brought down at the relatively easy canal turn including Paul Kellaway getting dragged from Barona by another jockey doing a flying dismount!
As pumphol says when we get another really soft ground race there will be a lot more fallers and less horses getting around.

When all jocks agree the fences are safer, but still take some jumping, that's
good enough for me, didn't look any different to other nationals. Still a great race,
and like no other race.

Take a look at the Mr Frisk national in 1990 run in record time in very fast conditions & to me its looks no better a spectacle than yesterdays race.

.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrL9FL8jJ0E

^ nonsense. This years GN was a non event.Assisted to this state by crass presenters and appallingly poor commentating.Same spectacle as Mr Frisk's race? Absolute b*ll*cks

Facts are you trying to be as obnoxious as homefortea.

I have no problem with this years race,it is what we are going to have to get used to but ...........

1990 was a fantastic renewal. The fencing duel between Mr Frisk & Uncle Merlin until Bechers second time around was awesome ,followed by Durham Edition vainly chasing the winner , just as he would do again in the Whitbread.

fife

no, not intentionally. But I feel very angry/passionate about what has happened to the heritage race that was the greatest jumping spectacle of the racing calendar in the world. Saturdays debacle was an embarrassing disgrace. All who love this sport should be appalled.

Sorry if I have offended you fife.

got to feel a bit sorry for Cappa Bleu, he might have benefitted from any extra 110 yards of race - AE empties and he picks up you never know, was certainly closer at the line than any other time

still thought it was a great race, just not the same as it used to be but I'm not teary eyed with nostalgia, I see it as the best betting opportunity outside the Festival in the whole calendar

Facts i thought your reply to Pumphol was a bit over the top as he seems to be one of the more reasonable posters on here. I apologise for comparing you with Homefortea.

ok

I wont hold it against you Facts

good

trends have to be thrown out now .

I am delighted to hear that there were no casualties but it should be renamed Grand National Lite.
And as for the BBC,they really are a shower.