Grand National 2012 Runners - sweepstake

Adam Mint wrote:11th and 15th, at least both finished...
Results

13th & 14th mine...

9th and pulled up at 19th fence

I see Synchronised and According to pete were sadly put down.
It just goes to show the arduous task the horses have to face at this course.
Do you think it is time to make the course a lot safer for the horses?

Yeah, Gypsy was mentioning it earlier. Not sure how to go about it though ( no idea about horses). Would it be a case of simply lessening the height of the fences? Would that then detract from the spectacle and history of the race?

3rdforum wrote:Yeah, Gypsy was mentioning it earlier. Not sure how to go about it though ( no idea about horses). Would it be a case of simply lessening the height of the fences? Would that then detract from the spectacle and history of the race?

The Grand National is supposed to be the greatest steeplechase in the world, if they make the fences any lower it'll soon be just another run-of-the-mill horse race. Punters won't turn up in their thousands to Aintree for an average horse race and I suspect advertising that goes with the brand name would lessen as well. It has to have something special to earn the name "The Greatest Steeplechase In The World", and it's fences are that "something".

3rdforum wrote:Yeah, Gypsy was mentioning it earlier. Not sure how to go about it though ( no idea about horses). Would it be a case of simply lessening the height of the fences? Would that then detract from the spectacle and history of the race?

Yeah Dermo,shorten the fences and the drop.
Some of them fences are eleven foot leap from when the horse jumps till it lands on the other side of the ditch.
I think the real problem lies in the drop...the fence could be 5 foot on one side but the other side is alot steeper....thats where most the injuries happen.
I hate to see animals suffer,and couldn't care less about the spectacle tbh,and I think something needs changing drastically as that course is a torture chamber for the horses...I seen pictures of the winner and it was in the stable wobbling and disorientated and looking worse for wear...they are asking far to much from the horses.

So raise the ground on the far side of the fence by a couple of feet? That means the horse would still have to jump a decent height but have a softer landing. Surely, it couldn't be as simple as that??? If so, why didn't they do it years ago?

The Lone Ranger wrote:

3rdforum wrote:Yeah, Gypsy was mentioning it earlier. Not sure how to go about it though ( no idea about horses). Would it be a case of simply lessening the height of the fences? Would that then detract from the spectacle and history of the race?

The Grand National is supposed to be the greatest steeplechase in the world, if they make the fences any lower it'll soon be just another run-of-the-mill horse race. Punters won't turn up in their thousands to Aintree for an average horse race and I suspect advertising that goes with the brand name would lessen as well. It has to have something special to earn the name "The Greatest Steeplechase In The World", and it's fences are that "something".

I get what your saying,but they are just asking too much from the horses.
imo the animals safety should come before advertising and the like.

3rdforum wrote:So raise the ground on the far side of the fence by a couple of feet? That means the horse would still have to jump a decent height but have a softer landing. Surely, it couldn't be as simple as that??? If so, why didn't they do it years ago?

It is as simple as that.
It was on BBC today in the build up to it.
Thay have raised a few but have left the famous ones untouched I think.
The commentator,Irish ex jockey can't remember his name,said that the jumps are smaller from when he jumped the course as a jockey,so the solution is that simple but people think it will detract from the spectacle.

Well mine was the very first one to go down..

i.m pissed. but disagree, strong word, so may think twice/



but tomorrows a other day . so may change my mind.

nice to see you wentt down first v, was it suck it and sea.................

Well I never, trust me to win when there's not bloody prize typical.

Wasn't even the one I picked its the one LR give me so really he's the one that should be buying

Well done the champion may claim his award

Results...

yay 4th and wasn't aware it was going on!