The Grand National Starter

Diamond Geezer

Diamond Geezer

Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
May 2, 2003
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Chris Cook in The Guardian

Punters disgusted by the start to last season's Grand National, when one horse was left with no chance as the tape went up after a shambolic eight-minute delay, may be heartened to learn that racing's rulers will act to prevent similar scenes occuring in April.
Speculation continued to mount yesterday that senior starter Peter Haynes may be told in the coming weeks that one of his colleagues will be given the high-profile role of sending the field on its way next year.
This follows an apparent loss of confidence in Haynes among top jockeys last spring that resulted in a handful of disorderly starts at the Cheltenham Festival that were repeated before the following month's National. An independently chaired review group met last week to discuss the matter, with Tony McCoy, Mick Fitzgerald and Jonjo O'Neill among those present, and it is understood that strong views were expressed on both sides.
No decision has been taken by the British Horseracing Authority, who are seemingly more concerned with the mechanism of the National start than with the identity of the starter. Nevertheless, Haynes' position is not secure and we are advised that Hugh Barclay is favourite to replace him on the rostrum next April if the BHA decide to act.
 
New starting procedures are to be implemented for this year's Grand National in a bid to avoid the farcical scenes which saw last season's race go off almost 10 minutes late and one runner left with no chance when stranded at the start.

Following successful trials at meetings at Aintree and Cheltenham, marker poles and a marked line in the turf will now be used before this year's National to discourage runners from charging the starting tape.

This follows recommendations from a working group set up by the British Horseracing Authority to examine the start of last year's race.

"There will be some amendments to the starting procedures this year," said BHA spokesman Paul Struthers.

But no decision has yet been taken as to whether senior starter Peter Haynes will again take charge of the start.

Entries for the 5 April renewal of the world's most famous jumps race must be made today.
 
Wasn't Native Upmanship as good as left at the start the year before too?

Good idea Colin but the whole "you need a handy possy" going to the first puts that right out the window.
 
I know what you're saying Colin but the starter was bloody terrible. He could have let them go on a few occasions but decided to be bloody minded instead. There should be no room for that sort of picky behaviour, not least when trying to get off one of the major races in the calendar comprising 40 runners.

It was pathetic - and the forumite I watched the National with in the stands at Liverpool last year can confirm that Haynes was called a few choice names at the time!
 
I'm not saying Haynes wasn't at fault, there are a few numpties about starting races, but the jocks have always been too ready to go charging off at a million miles an hour..........like those bloody lemmings over that bloody cliff!
 
Fairly simple to me:

...the Starter to be reminded that it's not *his* show and he shouldn't use the occasion to grandstand;
also that's it's a 4 mile plus race, so a couple ++ yards at the start isn't really here or there.
So long as nothing is facing backwards, just let them go...

..and the jockeys to be reminded that, esp for this race, if they consistently disobey the Starter, they will be disqualified, no matter where they finish. End of
 
Peter Haynes has been replaced as the Grand National starter following the chaotic scenes that marred last year's race.

Sean McDonald, the deputy senior starter, will replace Haynes for this year's renewal on April 5.

There was a delay of more than eight minutes before the Aintree spectacular last year, with Haynes subsequently blaming the jockeys' failure to obey his instructions for the confusion.
A BHA review group was set up to investigate, and its findings were due to be announced this week.

Former champion jockey Peter Scudamore, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live on Wednesday night, said: “It sounds like some of the jockeys lost confidence in Haynes.

“It will be interesting to see how McDonald copes with it.”
 
I think Haynes could rightly feel hard done to here. Some of the jockeys were taking absolutely no notice of him, and he has to do everything possible to ensure a clean and even break. Even at the umpteenth attempt when he finally let them go something got left behind. He's been accused of showboating in front of the biggest racing audience of all, but that is patent nonsense. He had his part to play in the mess however, and was perhaps a little too strict.

The white line idea will help to a degree as it will give a vital few feet to ensure they don't go charging through the tape, but unless jockeys take notice of the starter it won't be the last fiasco we see before the big race.
 
I watched the race last year with a crowd of racing professionals [none of them jockeys] and everyone was absolutely scathing about the Starter. We were all yelling LERRUM GO FOR FOKS SAKE at the telly

He could have let them go several times, and a lot of horses got very gee-ed up on a day when the prelims are very prolonged and full of tension, and the jocks are the most wound up they are all year. It didn't help a lot of horses at all, to have that kind of tension before the race, and the longer it went on the harder it was to manoevre some of the horses.

All of us thought the Starter WAS showboating, and it's not the first time for a big race, the GN included. In the end, you can't risk a repeat because the jocks have no confidence in the guy, if the jocks respect the Starter you don't get that kind of nonsense
 
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