The National was my favourite race in the calendar. It was my Christmas. Now it is finished as the race we knew. Take risk out of any sport and you take the guts out of it. If you start to eliminate risk you're going down a dangerous path. God knows what the next modifications will bring.

Maybe introduce a race of electric scooters without helmet on public roads (cordoned-off), may I add. There are already many about on public roads but not under-rules.

The Grand National has changed for the better - and how anyone can moan about todays race is beyond me - Lee Mottershead , senior writer racing post .



So for around 180 years it was wrong ? 


Lee also mentions his 'husband' in the script which is also something that would certainly not have been mentioned in the not too distant past . I personally think its great that homosexuals . lesbians , transgenders , pansexuals , third genders etcetc have been accepted in society and i for one dont see sexuality as a barrier but it is certainly proof of the times we are in .


We are in a totally different era than the one weve been used to and i just wonder in another 180 years will there have been a total ban on horseracing altogether , flat included ?

https://www.racingpost.com/news/the-front-runner/has-the-grand-national-been-turned-into-another-cross-country-race-aHyrc3z5AWGj/

I am no fan of Cook, in fact I would describe him as massively overrated. This looks to be an example of why. He seems to be trying to be critical - in the same way as many on here - but sit on the fence at the same time.

Bechers would have been a doddle for him this time around , thinking back though he'd have spoilt the Red Rum archive a tad so falling was probably decided by the gods.

This is one of those paradox enigma mystery thingies because the National as it was and should still be cannot exist in the modern world, so to save it from the ignominy that the sight of it now is to those of us that know what it should be it should now be put out of its misery a sort of mercy killing.

However we can't do that because it has to remain as a beacon to the modern world to show the man that we are listening, and to actually put it out to grass would only serve to give the anti mob the chance to jump all over it proclaiming that we've seen the error of our ways.

So on we'll go, once a year we will roll out the sacrificial lamb and present it to the masses.

Good post Duffy.

The virtual grand national is a good way of describing the spectacle.

It will never go back now, with the 34 runners and changes to the fences, the genie isn't going back in the bottle.

But it is surely still far more of a spectacle than the sort of racing we are presented with on every other day of the year? Fences omitted because of unsafe ground, low sun, damaged fences etc. etc. At least they had to jump all of the fences on Saturday!

I do not think anyone is suggesting the fences need to be more difficult and taxing to jump and negotiate similar to those in the past. Instead the present day fences are easier and less taxing than in the past. It's also generally accepted the fences are in line with the sign of the time.

The Grand National has changed, and is no longer the same race since the fences were tweaked. As such, it cannot justifiably be compared and treated as the Grand National of old or before the fences were tweaked.

The present Grand National is more predictable especially so when certain trainers and owners field mega runners. Similarly, a reduction in the number of runners is also a factor, justifiably, may I add.

The once a year crowd made AP McCoy sports personality of the year on the back of his 2010 win. 3 horses died in that race too. I think people are making the mistake of confusing the ‘once a year crowd’, with the ‘never going to watch it whatever you do crowd’.

And what happens when another horse does die in the National. Do they have another knee jerk reaction and reduce the field and fences even further? It seems odd that the National in its old form has now become unacceptable, in the space of just a few years. Sign of the times I suppose.

Equating horse racing with football and motor racing is missing the point. You can decide if you want to take part in those sports. Horses don't have that choice. As an aside I have always found motor racing a total bore, and I quite liked football on muddy pitches when tackling was still part of the game. Still had your skilful players in those days. Plenty of them.

Back to the subject. What about horses dying elsewhere? Is that okay because not so many people are watching? Those cheering on the changes are you happy to see a number of horses dying elsewhere? You know it will happen whatever changes are made. That's the reality of the situation.

Horses will die,and in the national.its not about eliminating this,it’s about making the numbers acceptable.
The,we ve done all we can defence.


Who to??

That's the mistake, it will never be acceptable to the extremists, we are trying to placate those that can't be placated, we are paying ransom demands to those that will never stop asking.

Racing has naively entered into this, as soon as there's another death it's no good saying "Hang on, we thought we had a deal" when they are back at the door with their cap out.

Nobody in their right mind watches horse racing to see horses dying, but if you enjoy the sport, you have to accept that will happen. I think a runner has just been lost in the bumper at Kelso.

As regards the National as I said earlier it has gone from one extreme to another. My view is the current balance is wrong, but it won't be changed - see Duffy's post above.

Those who racing is primarily targeting won't be happy unless there are no fatalities year after year, and that's impossible to promise.

Attitudes change to all sorts of things. For my generation and many others before Smoking was a normal habit for the vast majority but now is frowned upon in the same way as illegal drugs. The treatment of animals is now a matter of concern for many people now and changes will come about inevitably.

Duffy can answer for himself, but I have not once said there should never have been no changes, and we have both said it would now be impossible to revert. You could have got that answer from previous replies.

I used to watch show jumping, and one their showcase events was the puissance. Those fences got very high, and the incentive was there to go higher to actually win the competition. Nobody stepped in to say you couldn't do that. Has that event now been outlawed, or is it fine because it isn't on mainstream television?

Has there ever been a grand national. No horse fell

Fences looked a lot different to me. I admit I didn’t notice it in real time, was too busy looking for the horses I’d backed. But watching the replay, then watching some replays of old nationals, it’s clear that the fences are much easier, more akin to some of those they take in the X country races.

They have made quite drastic changes imo. Don’t see why they had to reduce from 40 runners either. Lots of people seem to prefer it, and those in charge are all busy slapping backs and congratulating each other on fixing the National. But they’ve painted themselves into a corner now. If the race is only deemed a success when there are no fatalities, as was the case this year, then they are in big trouble when one does inevitably arise. Not really got anywhere to go after this.

Just one (hopefully) last comment.

If you make changes and say this is safe only to make more changes you leave yourself open to total ridicule. A stance has to be taken where you satisfied with the position, and not constantly reacting to critics who will never be happy.

Only happens in the UK Crop the W@nkers of the world Protesting against all sorts ,All acceptable in the Liberal UK