Grand National 2012

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Second. Foiled again!

[Maybes]

Had £5e/w on Sunnyhillboy ended up being 16/1. Gutted that he missed out by a nostril!

[Jimothy]

Always stick 50p each way on a grey for my late Nanna, as that's what she would have done. Randomly picked Neptune Collonges of the 4 greys Won't win much but better than nothing, sadly it won't cover my bets though

[accessory]

Deaths seem to be a regular feature at this event, which is becoming little more than a blood sport.

Maybe if bookies were forced to issue refunds to punters whose horses died, or whenever fences had to be missed out, the authorities would take animal welfare a little more seriously.

[Libertine Dream]

Its all very sad about the two horses losing their lives hut the National shouldnt be banned as a result. Reviews should take place and maybe we should have a couple of years break without it. The shine has been taken off it for a couple of years now because of too many deaths.

The horse are willing to race, they enjoy it and that is what they are bred for. They want to jump to fences because they would do naturally, they want to run for the same reason marathon runners do. If they don't want to, more often than not the jockey, trainer, stable hand will know, its just a shame it appears it was missed in syncronised's case.

The problem with the National is its designed to be tough, to test the horses but only the best should be able to enter and a smaller more elite field should enter. The thing that annoys me most is the fact trainers and owners enter these horses that are not good enough, don't have the right build, aren't strong enough, these people should know that. Todays tradgedies were not in that category (although syncronised was on the small side).

Horses shouldn't have too many problems in the National, they are able to jump these fences but the field is too big, filled with horses that aren't able and so carnage ensues. The occasion also gives them problems as rarely is there an incudent over the National fences when they are used in other Aintree meetings, and so it can't all be blamed the course, however something needs to change to prevent the deaths.

Lets not forget that a horse is so finely tuned, if it misplaces its foot at its stables it could breaks its leg and have to be put down, dont attatch too much blame to the course, thats how horses are and it can happen in the flat season too.

If I've missed a race, I won't go back to watch it knowing a horse has died. I'll just think it died doing what it loved, what it was made for and managed to die in the environment it.savoured. How many of us can say that?

[Mack]

Every year horses are dying at the national.

This is 2012 not 1930.

We should be able to hold a sporting event without killing anything, including animals.

[Ric Flair]

There's too many runners, that's where the problem lies. It's not even the fences being too high. You don't see many fallers after 3 and a half miles when the horses are supposedly tired. It's the bedlam over the first half a dozen fences where a few fall and bring loads of others down with them. Cut the field, cut the death toll. Simple.

I love horse racing, The National gives it a bad name. Much prefer a piss wet through Tuesday at Market Rasen than this.

Did get 3rd and 4th on a side note.

[Leicfox]

ANOTHER DEAD HORSE... JUST FOR FOR THE PLEASURE OF HUMANS.... COONTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Humans consume about 4.7 million horses a year and that's just for dinner.

[ozleicester]

Define uneccessary? Animals are used for all sorts of things. Do you eat meat? You could be a veggie. Do you wear leather clothes?

Horses need to be used for something, it's either race or a trip to the glue factory.

yes just asnwer your question, i am a Veggie and no i do not wear leather....there are still areas that i seem unable to avoid animal products, but where there is an alternative i will take it. They wont go to the glue factory if they arent bred in the first place.

People act like this is the only race where there's a danger to horses.

So what, are we going to ban all horse racing because there's a risk involved? Do you know how many people would lose their jobs?

People need to remember that horses are not people.

Yes, ban all horse racing...ahh its all about money... I know lets bet on all the unemployed people in the racing industry.

No they arent people, they are living creatures that are less able to make decisions and so therefore need our protection not our exploitation.

Humans consume about 4.7 million horses a year and that's just for dinner.

Oh, well, thats all right then

[City_4_Life]

This is tough debate because i love horse racing, but i know that the welfare of horses should be put first.

The Grand National is always going to get bad publicity just because it is such a big race, and because its get so much coverage that people use it as a kind of scapegoat. Horse racing is a dangerous sport, and just like any other sport it has risks involved.

The injury that led to Synchronised death wasnt even caused when he fell at the fence, it happened when he was galloping around without a jockey, which was just a freak injury an could of happened to any horse racing or not racing. Also race horses are treated amazingly well and do love racing.

As for the Grand National itself it is a unique race which makes it a thrilling spectacle. The only change i would say do is reduce the number of horses to maybe 30, but then what happens if fatalities happen in the race still. Do you keep changing until it becomes just another race? Also making changes to the race can cause more problems, for example reducing the size of the fences will make the horses travel faster and you will get more fallers.

The way i see it i dont want the National changed so much that it loses its identity, but it is the once a year punters and general public that make the race what it is, and if they stop watching/betting on the race because of fatalities then there wont be any Grand National.

Horse racing has loads of highs but sadly it also has its lows but the National gets a lot of stick just for being what it is. Just the other week 3 horses died in a 2 mile FLAT race in Dubai but it hasnt even got a mention.

People just have to realise that horse racing brings risks to both human and animal.

[Kitchandro]

yes just asnwer your question, i am a Veggie and no i do not wear leather....there are still areas that i seem unable to avoid animal products, but where there is an alternative i will take it. They wont go to the glue factory if they arent bred in the first place.

Yes, ban all horse racing...ahh its all about money... I know lets bet on all the unemployed people in the racing industry.

No they arent people, they are living creatures that are less able to make decisions and so therefore need our protection not our exploitation.

Oh, well, thats all right then

You aren't living in the real world I'm afraid. Horses need to be used for things, they aren't humans.

These horses are bred for racing, you realise.

By the way, Synchronised was fine after the fall and ran on by his own choice with the rest of the field for a number of fences before injuring himself. Not only does hat show he enjoys racing with the field but also that the race wasn't to blame.

According to Pete was brought down by another horse, which could have happened in any race.

600 million people watched the race yesterday, so I think you need to just get over it.

Everyone seems to hate knee-jerk reactions on here yet this is what you are doing right here. And it's that, sadly, which will eventually ruin the race, as the people who make the decisions will be forced into making changes by those who insist it's cruel after every year because of an accident.

Bull fighting is cruel, Horse racing is merely a sport which has an element of risk.

[ozleicester]

You aren't living in the real world I'm afraid. Horses need to be used for things, they aren't humans.

They dont NEED to be killed for your entertainment

These horses are bred for racing, you realise.

Lets breed people for killing each other instead

By the way, Synchronised was fine after the fall and ran on by his own choice with the rest of the field for a number of fences before injuring himself. Not only does hat show he enjoys racing with the field but also that the race wasn't to blame.

No it shows he has been completely trained to run no matter what, if he wasnt in the race, he wouldnt have fallen, no the race isnt to blame, the fvckwits who support are

According to Pete was brought down by another horse, which could have happened in any race.

600 million people watched the race yesterday, so I think you need to just get over it.

Oh well, if eneough people like it thats ok then, a reverence for life means nothing as long as the masses are entertained.

Everyone seems to hate knee-jerk reactions on here yet this is what you are doing right here. And it's that, sadly, which will eventually ruin the race, as the people who make the decisions will be forced into making changes by those who insist it's cruel after every year because of an accident.

Sadly it will ruin the race??... it might actually prevent the cruelty and death of inocent creatures

Bull fighting is cruel, Horse racing is merely a sport which has an element of risk.

Tell that to the dead horses

[SOCCERROO FOX]

Horses that run in steeple and Hurdle races are mostly horses that aren't good enough to race in flat races. If there not good enough for flat racing and there was no steeple or hurdle racing guess where these horse would end up....................The Knackery!

[Guest MattP]

Wow, some serious shit being talked in this thread.

Horses are bred to race, if you puta 2yo filly in a field with NO previous training it will jump fences, it's what horses naturally do.

The real problem with the national is the date it's run and the quality of it, the ground is far too quick in April and in effect it's a class 3 handicap, no one should be sending top class horses into a race like this which made Syncronised involvement all the more bizarre.

If you are going to reduce numbers cut fences etc then just take it a Plumpton and run it under normal circumstances because it wouldn't be a grand national anymore.

National Hunt racing is here to stay, it's got far soul than the flat and hence why it will always be REAL horse racing in Europe.

[Guest MattP]

Deaths seem to be a regular feature at this event, which is becoming little more than a blood sport.

Maybe if bookies were forced to issue refunds to punters whose horses died, or whenever fences had to be missed out, the authorities would take animal welfare a little more seriously.

Just what we need. A happy punter as his horse died.

The national has enough problems with idiots and non regular racing fans following let alone people queuing up for refunds after a legend like Syncronised has had to be put down

[Guest MattP]

On the plus side I met Jonjo, Paul Nicholls, Tony McCoy, David Pipe and Ruby Walsh this week.

All nice blokes except Ruby.

[SOCCERROO FOX]

On the plus side I met Jonjo, Paul Nicholls, Tony McCoy, David Pipe and Ruby Walsh this week.

All nice blokes except Ruby.

Little wonder with a first name like ruby he is probably still pissed off at his parents