Shortened Grand National Course in 2016

R

Rummy

At the Start
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Jan 24, 2017
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I only recently found out that the Aintree National course was shortened (again) last year by approx 250 yards. I was aware that it had been shortened by 100 yards in 2013 (a shorter run to the first fence), but hadn't realised it had been shortened again for 2016.

250 yards is a lot to go in one hit! I wasn't able to find out a lot on the internet, so I'm hoping someone here can help with explaining where on the course it has been shortened and also the reason for it.

Thanks for any info.

Mark.
 
Not the race it was 10 years ago never mind 30.

I fully understand the need for horse and jockey welfare, but where is the line drawn?

National was once something incredible, now it's just your standard steeplechase race.
 
Welcome to the forum Rummy.

According to the Racing Post results database the distance dropped from 4m 4f in 2012 to 4m 2f and 74yds in 2013 and has remained unchanged since.

Rule The World's time last year was over 30 seconds slower than Many Clouds the year before so I doubt the distance was reduced?
 
Grey said:
Welcome to the forum Rummy.

According to the Racing Post results database the distance dropped from 4m 4f in 2012 to 4m 2f and 74yds in 2013 and has remained unchanged since.

Rule The World's time last year was over 30 seconds slower than Many Clouds the year before so I doubt the distance was reduced?
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Hello. Thanks for the welcome.

According to Wikipedia (and also other racing info I found) the course changed from its original 4m 4f to 4m 3 1/2f in 2013 - which i remember and is correct. Then it goes on to say that it was shortened again in 2016 to 4m 2f 70yards (the distance you quote) - which is what i had never heard about.
 
All NH courses were re-measured last year following a directive from the BHA/Jockey Club/whoever.

The GN distance was revised to '4m abt 3.5f' in 2013 but the re-measuring exercise last year put the actual distance at 4m 2f 74y. It's the exact same distance as when they changed the distance in 2013, just more accurately measured.
 
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The Nash is still a great race. Knocking 6 inches off the top of the fences, doesn't really dilute the spectacle of 40 chasers tearing round the course, imo.

I reckon it's a small price to pay to see more horses complete, and less get injured - both of which were/needed to shut-up the Animal Welfare wa*nk-socks.
 
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Grasshopper said:
The Nash is still a great race. Knocking 6 inches off the top of the fences, doesn't really dilute the spectacle of 40 chasers tearing round the course, imo.

I reckon it's a small price to pay to see more horses complete, and less get injured - both of which were/needed to shut-up the Animal Welfare wank-socks.
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More horses got injured between 2009 -2012 than what did 30 year ago.
Also more horses died on the course this decade than the decade before.

Surely shortening the fences encourages the horses to go faster? I quite like the gap at the side of the fences now, so if a loose horse doesn't fancy it, less chance of causing a 20 horse pile up as seen in 2001.

Just my uneducated opinion, obviously someone more educated may be able to explain better than me if the changes are good or not. Bechers Brook was once a magnificent fence, now it's just a fence.
 
Francome has long been against making the fences smaller. He argues that the bigger fences make the jockeys go less of a dash and horses are more careful at their fences hence fewer injuries to horses.
 
Just looked.

Between 1970 and 1989 there where a total of 12 fatalities.

Between 1990 and 2010 there where 17 fatalities. Plus another 2 in 2011.
 
Grasshopper said:
The Nash is still a great race. Knocking 6 inches off the top of the fences, doesn't really dilute the spectacle of 40 chasers tearing round the course, imo.

I reckon it's a small price to pay to see more horses complete, and less get injured - both of which were/needed to shut-up the Animal Welfare wank-socks.
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Its pish now.
 
Desert Orchid said:
All NH courses were re-measured last year following a directive from the BHA/Jockey Club/whoever.

The GN distance was revised to '4m abt 3.5f' in 2013 but the re-measuring exercise last year put the actual distance at 4m 2f 74y. It's the exact same distance as when they changed the distance in 2013, just more accurately measured.
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Excellent information! Thanks.
 
Double J said:
Just looked.

Between 1970 and 1989 there where a total of 12 fatalities.

Between 1990 and 2010 there where 17 fatalities. Plus another 2 in 2011.
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Yes which proves what a load of tosh lowering the fences was. Annoys me that Aintree give in to the pressure groups.
 
Of course it's tosh.......they should not have changed a thing for these politically correct assholes from the Team Spirit day (tiny horse got round without a problem) .........They are so stupid they don't realise Speed Kills and the easier the fences the faster they go add that to a huge field and you are sure to have disasters.....There should have been 2 options from day 1....tell them to p!ss off or stop the race completely because once these people get something they want more and if they think they have you they will never stop
 
You lot (and Francome) are missing the point.

The antis don't give a sh*it about techincalities like taller fences slowing horses down - they are all about the bare numbers.

Read my post again. Two fatalities in the 5 years since they modified the race; so it's alternative-fact bollocks to suggest the race was 'safer' in the 70's and 80's.

If nothing was done, and we continued to have multiple fatalities every year, the pressure to ditch the race would have continued to accrue. And if the Nash was lost, then the future of National Hunt racing itself, would have been placed in jeopardy as a result.

Amending the fences was a pragmatic step to dilute the threat to the race, and the sport as a whole. I'd rather that, than have to listen to people whine about the good old days, whilst there's nothing to watch but sand-dancing.
 
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So the point is; You want to watch jump racing, but you won't mind........ eventually, if there's nothing to jump?:D
 
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It is hardly that, reet.

The Nash is a unique enough test as it is. As I said, knocking 6 inches off the top of the fences seems to have laddered a lot of tights. I don't see the fuss myself.
 
There's been another factor at play, though, in the reduction of injuries and casualties: artificially slow ground.

They're working on the premise that slowing up the horses by softening the ground [rather than restoring the height of the fences] is the way to go in reducing fallers and injuries and recent statistics appear to justify the decision. I'm against slowing the ground artificially as some of the best winners of the race have required good ground and they otherwise probably wouldn't have had their moment of glory in soft: Red Rum, Lord Gyllene, Aldaniti, etc.

I pray for lovely weather on the Friday to minimise the effect of the over-watering policy.

I suppose the softer ground also goes some way to compensate for the reduction in distance and its effect on those with the stamina for the race. Horses that stay 4m in the mud at Haydock or Uttoxeter often don't get home here, arguably because the pace here tends to be that stride faster allowing those with a bit of class to come to the fore.

And the race remains a unique spectacle as well as being one of the easiest in the entire year to back the winner.
 
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There is virtually no jumps racing left in Australia where the bow to the lunatics caused dumming down of both fences and hurdles. The upshot was that horses went faster because there was no respect for the obstacles from the jockeys. It led to more fatalities and ultimately the banning of the sport in all States except Victoria.

The nutters here know this and by pushing for dumbing down and getting it they will ultimately achieve their objectives. Unfortunately the authorities here are inadvertently helping their cause not hindering it.

In my view, which I'm sure many won't share, we should go back to bigger, stiffer fences and we shouldn't be making them easier to jump. Most late falls are caused by jockeys throwing tired horses into fences without bothering to see a stride because they believe the percentages are in their side. When they realise they're not they'll stop doing it.

It's also up to the authorities to provide safe jumping ground, not tear away fast ground. Summer racing should only take place at courses that are able to heavily water when required. If ground is likely to be any faster than good a meeting should be abandoned.
 
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Grasshopper said:
There have been two fatalities since the modifications in 2012. There were two in 2011 alone.
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Most of you have decided to selectivity ignore this stat. There was a period in the early 2000's when were hearing about fatalities every year. It was leaving a very bad taste in my mouth. It's a small sample of races, but the measure they have brought in since seem to have helped and it has only increased my enjoyment of the race.

One of you mentioned Beechers Brook not being the great fence it was. Well 14 horses have been killed trying to jump that fence in the race so I'm quite happy it's no longer the fence it was.

If you really feel the national is now just another race, well then that's a great shame for you. Personally I think that's crazy talk. Its still the most anticipated race of the year for me and no less a spectacle really.
 
From somebody who's fairly ambivalent towards the changes that's a well put post Moscow.

Formula one was undoubtedly more exciting in the 70s but things had to change.
 
MoscowFlyerisMagnificent said:
Most of you have decided to selectivity ignore this stat. There was a period in the early 2000's when were hearing about fatalities every year. It was leaving a very bad taste in my mouth. It's a small sample of races, but the measure they have brought in since seem to have helped and it has only increased my enjoyment of the race.

One of you mentioned Beechers Brook not being the great fence it was. Well 14 horses have been killed trying to jump that fence in the race so I'm quite happy it's no longer the fence it was.

If you really feel the national is now just another race, well then that's a great shame for you. Personally I think that's crazy talk. Its still the most anticipated race of the year for me and no less a spectacle really.
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My dug could jump Beechers.
 
Bechers remains one of the iconic (and trappiest) jumps in the country but for the TV viewer to appreciate it ITV must ensure the head-on camera covers it live.

The side-on RUK pictures make it look like a very ordinary fence.
 
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