[Kazanne]

Are you all looking forward to the Grand National? myself I dread it,what are your thoughts?and will you be betting?

[Marcus.]

ermm i don't watch it really

[joeysteele]

I don't usually bet really, although I may join a bet with others but I am not a betting guy as to Horses.
I hope there is no tragedies this year though.

[Vanessa]

I don't like it.

[thesheriff443]

its a shame that lovely animals have to die in the name of sport.

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

its a shame that lovely animals have to die in the name of sport.

That's terrible.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

its a shame that lovely animals have to die in the name of sport.

Totally agree sheriff.

[Marcus.]

Originally Posted by Vanessa

That's terrible.

yeah it is ness
but they said they made it safer each time with i was like nah you did not

[Kazanne]

They said today they have made it safer by using plastic instead of timber,lol I bet the horses with appreciate that.i know a lot of people like it but I am in full agreement with sheriff,horses will die.

[Jords]

When is it? I want to do it this year.

[Ammi]

Katie Walsh's mount Battlefront, trained by her father Ted, collapsed and died during the Fox Hunter's Chase after being pulled up at the 11th fence.

The Fox Hunter's is considered the biggest race for amateur jockeys.

"I would like to extend our sympathies to the Walsh family following the sad news," said John Baker, Aintree and North West Regional director for Jockey Club Racecourses.

"You can never remove risk from all horse racing, as with any sport. However, welfare standards are very high [in Britain] and equine fatalities are rare."

The race was surprisingly won by 100-1 shot Tartan Snow.

Fourteen of the 25 starters in the race finished.

It came on the same day that top trainer Jonjo O'Neill hit out at animals rights activists for trying to get the Grand National banned, telling them that they "just don't understand".

Two horses have died in each of the last two years at the race, leading to increasingly loud calls from campaigners to put an end to the world's most famous National Hunt event

O'Neill knows only too well about the regular fatalities at Aintree: last year he watched in horror as his horse Synchronised, who had won the Cheltenham Gold Cup the previous month, suffered a fatal fall.

But the Irishman told The Times that those who criticise British racing's showpiece event do not know what they are talking about.

"It's always been a fantastic race and it still is," said O'Neill, who trained 2010 National winner Don't Push It.

"People saying the National should be stopped just don't understand.

"We are all in racing because we love the horses, but we take things to heart.

"Some of the things said about us are a bloody insult, as if we are animals ourselves.

"There are people out there stabbing and shooting, killing randomly, and sometimes it seems we are being put in the same bracket."

Recent deaths have prompted several changes to the course, and there will be more this year as the start has been moved forward 90 yards while timber frames in the fences have been removed.

But the changes have always seemingly been to little avail: safety improvements began in earnest after the 1989 race saw two horses killed, yet since then horses have continued to die in the race at an average of one a year.

Jockeys in the Fox Hunters' Chase were positive about the changes.

Jamie Hamilton, 18, won the race on Tartan Snow and said: "It's the first time I have ridden over them but they seemed spot on."

Sam Waley-Cohen, who rode Cottage Oak, told the BBC: "They are still big obstacles and are a test for horse and jockey."

[Niamh.]

Her Father Ted, bahahahahaha

[Ryan57]

Don't like it. Hate how horse racing exists.

[lostalex]

Never heard of it. Is it like the Uk version of the Superbowl?

[Jords]

Originally Posted by lostalex

Never heard of it. Is it like the Uk version of the Superbowl?

Horse racing.

[Black Dagger]

Don't think I've ever even watched it.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by lostalex

Never heard of it. Is it like the Uk version of the Superbowl?

Lol, no.

[Ryan57]

Originally Posted by Jords

Horse racing.

Not sure if it was intended to mean 'Is it like the Superbowl in the US? As in, as big... biggest event of the calendar year'.

[Suze]

Don't watch it, just not interested in it and the fact that one or more horses will be put down during the course of it So won't be having a bet on the Grand National at all.

[InOne]

I'll be betting and hoping I actually win for once

[Brother Leon]

Great occasion. Going to place a few bets as always.

[AnnieK]

I usually watch it and have a bet..always lose. Need a better system than sticking a pin in the paper...

[Shaun]

pointless barbarism that should go the same way as fox hunting.

[Locke.]

Love it, can't wait to win some extra money

[InOne]

Originally Posted by Locke.

Love it, can't wait to win some extra money

Make a tips thread