Racing: A British Horseracing Authority review into the Grand National has been completed, leading to the publication of 30 recommendations 'designed to continue enhancing the safety and welfare' of the Aintree showpiece.
The four-and-a-half-mile contest was the subject of negative headlines this year after two horses died, and a number of horses, including the winner, Ballabriggs, were dismounted after the line. However, the dismounting had been a pre-planned contingency and on the instruction of officials, a fact the BHA concede was not communicated as well as it might have been to the public at the time.
Several changes relating to the structure and groundwork around fences in the race were announced in August.
Among the recommendations published today are that the age of horses eligible to be entered be increased from six to seven, and that all runners in the race must have finished fourth or better in a steeplechase over three miles or further.
Other features of the review include various elements of pre and post-race procedures to be reviewed and enhanced, bypassing of fences to continue with customised equipment, and improved processes for identifying and responding to weather related risks.
Away from the main review, the BHA’s Jump Racing sub-committee has resolved that the current minimum rating for runners in the National be increased from 110 to 120 from 2012.
BHA chairman Paul Roy said: “The Grand National is one of Britain’s great sporting institutions. It is a unique event watched by many tens of thousands at Aintree and tens of millions of people around the world. A key reason for its enduring popularity is that it is the most challenging race in Great Britain and a supreme sporting test for jockeys and horses alike.
“The sad events at the 2011 Grand National demonstrated the risks that this race can present, and rightly focused world attention on one of the British Horseracing Authority’s core objectives: to protect the safety and welfare of racing’s human and equine participants.
“The Review Group has submitted recommendations that will enhance the safety and welfare of jockeys and horses participating in the race, whilst removing none of the magic that makes the Grand National one of the most exciting, best-loved and enduring sporting events in the world.”
Tim Morris, director of equine science and welfare for the BHA, said: “Racing is a sport with risks. We are open about this and always have been, and the Grand National is the most challenging race in Great Britain.
“Events at the 2011 Grand National were upsetting for people directly involved in the sport and those who follow it. The deaths of two horses, alongside several other factors, ensured there was significant media and public attention on the issue of safety and welfare in the Grand National.
“As such it was right and proper that the BHA, as a responsible regulator, should conduct this review, which follows from post-race monitoring every year. This will continue, as before, in future years.
“The review process has been balanced, thorough and comprehensive. The Review Group, and the BHA board, are confident that the 30 recommendations will help achieve the objectives of not only enhancing the safety and welfare of participants but also maintaining public confidence in both the sport, and the Grand National as a race.
“We have learned some valuable lessons from the events of 2011, one of which is that we need to work harder and be more effective at communicating our positive, proactive welfare work.
“For example, the scenes of jockeys dismounting and water and oxygen being made available to horses post the Grand National were mistakenly interpreted as evidence of extreme fatigue on the part of the horses, when in fact the measures were designed to be pre-planned and preventative.”
Jamie Stier, BHA director of raceday operations and regulation, said: “The ethos of the Review Group was to seek to retain the essence and individuality of the Grand National, balancing this with reducing avoidable risk.
“The group recognised that both the race and the Grand National course have been the subject of much scrutiny and have undergone a number of changes over the years.
“The Review Group noted how the race has evolved as a result of these changes and how the quality of runners in the race has improved and the public’s interest — as demonstrated by the raceday attendance, domestic and global viewing audiences — has been sustained. As part of the review a wide range of proposals were considered and, in many cases the need for change was not found.
“These topics included discussions regarding the maximum number of runners in the race, the position of the start and run to the first fence. However, despite a lack of evidence which warranted change, the group did conclude that there is merit in continuing to collate data and monitor results so that, if necessary, such subjects could be revisited in the future.”
Julian Thick, managing director of Aintree, said: “We welcome today’s report and thank the BHA for its insights and recommendations, which complement and build on the course changes announced by Aintree in August.
“As the organisers of the Grand National, one of the biggest events in the global sporting calendar, the safety and welfare of horses and jockeys is our first priority.
“We are constantly reviewing and improving our procedures. We plan for 12 months and everything we do before, during and after the race is geared towards making sure the event is run as safely as possible. Aintree has played an active part in the review process and has already announced and implemented some of the recommended changes to Grand National course and fence design.
“In the coming weeks and months, we will continue to implement these recommendations to further enhance safety at the course.”