2022 Grand National. Are you having a flutter?

Sam won the race at the elbow: out manoeuvred Mark. For all their wealth the Whaley Cohens have had more than their fair share of sadness and I think they’d give it all up tomorrow to bring Sam’s brother back.

I’ve just watched the finish again and agree there appears to be overuse of the whip.

No point in a ban really as he retired but the fine was too lenient.

But many NH horses either start in point to points (where they sell for huge amounts) or finish their career in them when they retire from racing. I think Noble Yeats finished the race like a fresh horse. Looking at his profile I think he’s a freak of nature and I’m fascinated to see where he goes from here. What I don’t like to see is tired horses continuing when imo they should be pulled up. Very few horses have died from falls in the National in recent years. Discorama sadly damaged his pelvis on the flat.

At least we didn't have evidence of Trainer Gordon Elliott sitting on his dead horse after a race like last year! Despicable man. Banned by the Jockey Club for 12 months. Just a Google will bring it up.

Please could you provide a link, , Kevin?

I was watching closely as he won by two and a quarter lengths and didn’t see any misuse of the whip at all but I’m happy to stand corrected.

I am also a pragmatic country woman and former horse owner.

PS. Please don’t think for one moment that I am not as concerned as anyone else where horse welfare is concerned. I’d just like to get the full facts.

A hateful event. The winning horse was ridden by a jockey who was subsequently fined £400 for "over use of the whip".
Just look at the bewildered terror in the eyes of the winning horse. And no, I am not a "fluffy bunny hugger". I have had horses all my life and am a pragmatic countrywoman.
I would never "strive to keep alive" any animal who was suffering. However, I think almost all racing, except perhaps National Hunt and point to pointing, is cruel. It's unlikely to change because money, thrills and human self-centred behaviour trumps morality and kindness.

I have, in the past, often had a flutter on the Grand National. I admit to taking part in FannyC’s sweepstake last year, a bit of harmless fun then. Hadn’t given any of it much thought BUT this year whoa, I bow to the superior knowledge on here and never will again.

Tragic. And still people say it’s not cruel and bet on the results. I wonder if they give a damn if ‘their’ horse dies or do they just bemoan their financial loss?

Blondiescot

Just read the news that Eclair Surf has died after suffering a head injury during the Grand National, which makes a total of four horses dead after the whole race meeting.

Terrible. I saw that horse fall right on its head & feared the worse. So sad.

Heartbreaking.

Blondiescot

Just read the news that Eclair Surf has died after suffering a head injury during the Grand National, which makes a total of four horses dead after the whole race meeting.

That has made me sad and angry. Poor horses.

Just read the news that Eclair Surf has died after suffering a head injury during the Grand National, which makes a total of four horses dead after the whole race meeting.

I saw this photograph quite a few years ago and apparently the bull just went up to the Matador,who was sitting down as if to say,”why have you done this to me?”just by looking in the matadors eyes and apparently that bull fighter (bull torturer and murderer)was crying and never “faught” ha! again…. But all over the world so many people take such delight in torturing and killing animals? There’s no way this should be called Bull fighting because the bull has very very little chance of surviving this terribly cruel cruel “sport” ? I believe Spain also has the running of the bulls where they are chased through streets by loads of young man and must be so terrified ?

Bob Champion was talking yesterday about the millions of pounds that his charitable trust has raised for cancer research. There is another side to the race. Racing aside I don’t see many people complaining about the wild mustangs that are rounded up each year in America and sent to kill pens. I know of plenty of horses that have died. Of colic, broken legs in the field: a foal that was killed by another mare in the field. Several have just collapsed and died of a heart attack. One died of grass sickness (no known cure). It’s a precarious existence, being a horse.

BlueBelle

It’s not sitting in an ivory tower to be against horse racing, fox hunting, whale and dolphin killing until the water is red, dog racing, bull fighting, cock fighting, bear baiting, breeding then shooting birds for fun, circuses with animals, zoos and on and on and on ….all variations of man’s inhumanity to animals

Very well said Bluebelle……??????????

Discorama has been put down after sustaining an injury in the Grand National. He is the third horse to lose its life in the festival this year.

Well said, nightowl

I love a horse. I am privileged that she trusts me, I think of her as my friend. But she is completely in my power. She did not ask to come into my life. The thought that I would ever betray her trust by putting her in a situation of fear, stress and great danger is simply unthinkable. I don’t eat animals, I try to question myself in all my dealings with them. I don’t say I love animals, I try to respect them. That’s it really, no ivory towers, no holier than thou, just an open mind and a heart that recognises that we are all fellow creatures, with a right to live our lives unmolested.

Shinamae it sickens me

nightowl

Mallin the answer to your question is very simple. Horses are herd animals, their instinct is always to stay with the herd. Centuries of domestication cannot undo their instincts. If they don’t keep up with the herd, they are killed. In the wild, herds only run at speed when being chased by a predator. Horses in a race are fuelled by adrenaline, telling them they must keep running. Add to this the whip, the shouts of the crowd, the other horses getting in their way, and you have a perfect storm of stress and chaos which is anathema to sensitive creatures. There is footage online of at least one racehorse with a broken leg trying desperately to keep running. Look on YouTube if you can stomach it. Do you really believe they are doing this from the love of racing?

Thank you for that night owl….?

Mallin

For eeks sake! For those who think horse racing is cruel then why do horses whose jockeys have fallen off, continue racing and jumping fences ??
I backed Santini who came in 4th so will collect my £250 on a £5 e/w bet, tomorrow. Will pay for outing with grandkids and great grandkids during high summer.

Wow well done. You must have bet ante-post. What odds did you get? I backed Santini £2.50 e/w at SP (33/1). Ladbrokes paid 1/5 odds for a place so for my £2.50 stake I won £16.50 plus stake.

They carry on jumping because they are herd animals and so follow the others.

You clearly know very little about horses, or racing, Bluebelle

I’m not criticising your opinion but if you’re going to lecture others you should be better informed.

Mallin the answer to your question is very simple. Horses are herd animals, their instinct is always to stay with the herd. Centuries of domestication cannot undo their instincts. If they don’t keep up with the herd, they are killed. In the wild, herds only run at speed when being chased by a predator. Horses in a race are fuelled by adrenaline, telling them they must keep running. Add to this the whip, the shouts of the crowd, the other horses getting in their way, and you have a perfect storm of stress and chaos which is anathema to sensitive creatures. There is footage online of at least one racehorse with a broken leg trying desperately to keep running. Look on YouTube if you can stomach it. Do you really believe they are doing this from the love of racing?

Because they are trained daily to follow the rules and run fast and jump mallin often with a whip (which of course is just a little tap!!!) are you truly imagining they are going ‘whooppee let’s keep jumping this is great fun’ you keep kidding yourself
Easier that way

For eeks sake! For those who think horse racing is cruel then why do horses whose jockeys have fallen off, continue racing and jumping fences ??
I backed Santini who came in 4th so will collect my £250 on a £5 e/w bet, tomorrow. Will pay for outing with grandkids and great grandkids during high summer.