Grand National

The Grand National (actually: Grand National Hunt Handicap Horse Race ) is the most important horse Steeplechase in the UK. It ranks among the events with the highest bets and best odds of premiums. Because of its danger for horses and riders, the race was often criticized.

History

The race is held regularly since 1836, with the recognition of the years 1836-38 is rejected by some historians. In the years 1916-18, the races at Gatwick Racecourse, which has disappeared in Gatwick Airport instead. This year will not be counted by some stories as the Grand National and ruled accordingly.

Competition mode

Usually, the race takes place on a (mostly the first ) Saturday in April at the Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool instead. Two rounds have traveled with a total length of 7.2 kilometers ( 4.5 miles ) and 30 obstacles ( including 14 twice) to be overcome. The race will (English Handicap ) discharged as compensation race, ie the participating horses carry different weights depending on their relative performance shown so far in race one another. For several years, is limited to a maximum of 40 horses for security reasons, the size of the field.

Some of the jumps have names (eg " Valentine 's Brook ," " Canal Turn ," " The Chair " ) and are particularly difficult. The most famous obstacle is No. 6 " Beecher 's Brook " with today, however, covered trench on the underlying Aufsprungseite. It is named after Captain Martin Beecher, who in 1839 crashed here.

Criticism of the race

After the race from 1989 began to change course and obstacles to counteract the large number of falls, often with lethal outcome for the horses. The number of starters is now limited to 40 horses and the maximum weight was repeatedly lowered. Various obstacles were changed, including the famous Beecher 's Brook, whose moat is now closed, the take-off and landing heights of obstacles have been changed and it is now by widening the track also possible to avoid obstacles to prevent horses in already have to jump into the fallen horse. Nevertheless, there were in 2011 and 2012 still two fatal falls from horses, of which each one occurred at Beecher 's Brook. That is why there are still protests by animal rights activists against their opinion anachronistic horror race. The still large number of falls and resulting injuries to the horses was, according to the animal rights activists can not be justified. The race management points in return but to the great tradition of the race and the use and continued changes at the track.

In early 2013 it was announced that the construction of the obstacles to be changed. So should not change anything on the shape of the obstacles, the core of the obstacles to however slight resilient material, such as plastic, are made.