The Grand National

[rob1963]

In the last 24 hours, I've heard a number of people (especially on radio phone ins) saying that this race is dangerous, cruel (as the horses are forced into it) and should be banned.

Thoughts & opinions please.

I'll give my own later in the thread.

[Charlie Brown]

I don't enjoy any form of sport whatsoever. Detest it.

I was at a family party on Saturday...we all put bets on and watched it. It was my first time.

The 3 year old girl (Delilah) won £500!

I think it's very cruel and shouldn't be allowed. I found it disturbing when some of the horses fell on the ground and were trampled on by other horses.

If you really loved your horse - you wouldn't put it through a terrible ordeal...

I don't feel strongly about it....just don't think it's right.

Maybe if I won £500 - it would be a different story? :o

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Not into horse racing myself but dont think it should be banned or anything. Horses are looked after generally and it provides thousands of people with jobs be it looking after horses or on the betting side of things.

[rob1963]

This thread has had a fair number of viewings, but only a couple of replies, so I'll give my opinions now.

I don't think the Grand National should be changed in any way, let alone banned. Yes, the race is dangerous, but that's a very large part of its appeal. The jockeys can get injured, but it's their choice to become jockeys, and they know the risks.

As for the horses having no choice, being forced into it and not liking it, I disagree. Anyone who saw the race on Saturday would have seen the grey horse which just stood there without budging an inch at the start of the race...despite all the jockey's attempts to get it running. That horse had obviously decided it didn't want to race...and nobody could do anything to change that.

Also, when horses unseat their jockey, they carry on running & jumping the fences. Would they REALLY do that if they didn't want to? especially with no jockey trying to make them keep going?

In reality, the Grand National is safer now than it's ever been. I remember when there was a treacherous ditch at Bechers Brook on the side where they land, but that was levelled off to make it safer many years ago. At the same time, they also removed the water from the brook.

This race could have its distance halved or the jumps made lower and narrower, but that would remove most of the excitement and turn it into just another steeplechase rather than something really special. After all, if people only have a single bet each year, what's the one thing they bet on?

There's a REASON why it's known to so many as the greatest steeplechase in the world...and long may it continue to be so.