Racing boss defends Grand National safety changes

Paul Bittar

The caput of British racing has defended security improvements inwards the wake of 2 Grand National deaths, proverb the decade since 2000 had been the safest inwards the long history of the race.

British Horseracing Authority master copy executive Paul Bittar was commenting next the 2012 race, which claimed the lives of Synchronised too According To Pete, next falls at the notorious Becher’s Brook jump.

Their deaths follow those of 2 horses, Dooneys Gate too Ornais, inwards the 2011 running of the race at Aintree.

Bittar said the say-so published the findings from a comprehensive too detailed review of all elements of the Grand National final November.

“At this stage, nosotros believe it would survive premature to propose that modifications to the class too other changes get got non been effective or volition non yet attempt to survive effective,” he said.

“Since the Review too the implementation of changes, 4 races get got been held over the class without incident prior to [the] running of the Grand National.

“We are reasonably advanced inwards the procedure of examining the incidents which led to Synchronised too According To Pete existence position down.

“While that procedure withal needs to survive completed, it is relevant to dot out that although both horses lost their riders jumping Becher’s Brook, Synchronised galloped away from the debate seemingly without injury too and thence later incurred a fracture to a hind leg when jumping riderless, acre According To Pete was brought downwards past times to a greater extent than or less other Equus caballus on the instant circuit.”

Bittar said the say-so would survive collating all the relevant information too information from this year’s Grand National coming together thence that it tin survive reviewed inwards conjunction amongst the statistics too findings of the review.

“Initiatives such every bit speed sensing on the runners inwards races over the Grand National class volition enable the say-so too Aintree to brand informed decisions based on factual evidence inwards our efforts to minimise guide chances where possible.

“The evidence indicates that the changes too improvements inwards security made over the years get got led to an overall decrease inwards injury too fatalities, both on the Grand National class too racing inwards general.

“It is of import these matters survive judged over a catamenia of time,” he said.

“The decade since 2000 was the safest on tape for the Grand National amongst a fatality charge per unit of measurement of 1.5 per cent, compared to 3.3 per cent at the get-go of the 1990s.

“Sadly, at that topographic point get got been 2 fatalities inwards each of the final 2 runnings of the race.

“Naturally our objective is for at that topographic point to survive no fatalities, simply nosotros likewise recognise that nosotros cannot take away guide chances altogether from such a competitive activity.

“The Grand National is a unique race too it represents a unique challenge for the sport too for its regulation. It is a thrilling spectacle, simply at that topographic point is a higher marking of guide chances involved inwards the Grand National than other races too for this argue everyone inwards the sport needs to survive witting of how the race is presented to the public, the full general consumer perception too their views of how the race is run.

“This is an trial that generates huge world involvement too has a global audience of to a greater extent than than one-half a billion people. We’ve seen tape crowds of over 150,000 inwards attendance at Aintree this week, next on from tape numbers through the gates to British Racecourses inwards 2011.

“All of this suggests that British racing is doing many things correct inwards the eyes of the consumer. It is critically of import to us that the practiced travel existence done inwards racing is non overshadowed past times yesterday’s events, too that racing continues to travel collectively to prepare too keep this progress.

“In this context, nosotros volition survive working amongst Aintree too its owners The Jockey Club, along amongst other groups inwards the sport, to abide by the correct residue which enables us to keep the highest standards of security for our horses too participants too to promote the sport to the widest possible audience.”

Meanwhile, the manager of equine scientific discipline too welfare for the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), Professor Tim Morris, confirmed that leg breaks resulted inwards the bespeak to euthanise Cheltenham Cup winner Synchronised too According To Pete.

“The Grand National undoubtedly represents a challenge to both Equus caballus too rider,” he said.

“It has inherent risks, but, working closely amongst Aintree too other stakeholders, nosotros produce all nosotros tin to minimise these risks acre maintaining the unique graphic symbol of the race.

“We volition examine closely the circumstances which led to both incidents.”

He continued: “The BHA takes its responsibleness of looking after the welfare of Equus caballus too passenger real seriously. We consult too travel amongst recognised welfare organisations such every bit the RSPCA, SSPCA too World Horse Welfare. It is our stated objective to travel along to trim back the issue of injuries too fatalities which compass inwards racing.”

 

 

 

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