The Grand National 2024 took place on Saturday, April 13 at Aintree, where the race was won by ‚I Am Maximus‘ and rider Paul Townend. A divisive event, while many excitedly place their bets for the famous horse race each year, there are a vast number of people who have been campaigning to put an end to horse racing, due to how many horses are killed because of it.
Some 34 horses started the race and, while there were some unseated riders and a number of competitors who left the race, or ‚pulled up‘ throughout, no horses have died as a result of this year’s Grand National, according to a report by Manchester Evening News. It was announced live after the race that The Jockey Club did say that all the horses ‚got back okay‘, and that there were ’no concerns bar Mac Tottie, who was dismounted immediately after being pulled up and taken to the horse ambulance‘.
Reporting live for The Telegraph, just before 5pm Ben Rumsby said: „It appears as if this will be the first fatality-free Grand National since 2018, arguably vindicating the decision to reduce the field. Of course, Ladies Day yesterday did witness two equine fatalities.“
Friday afternoon’s Ladies Day events saw two fatalities – Giovinco died after falling in the first race, and Pikar suffered the same fate in the final race. The seven-year-old gelding was three lengths down and making a challenge in fifth place when falling at the last fence. He was treated by vets on the track for some time but could not be saved from his injuries.
Ahead of this year’s Grand National race, The Jockey Club announced a number of changes had been made to ensure the safety and welfare of the horses and jockeys by trying to reduce the number of fallers and injuries. These included moving the start time from 5.15pm to 4pm and reducing the number of horses participating in the Grand National from 40 to 34, in order to lower the likelihood of incidents occurring during the race.
The first fence had been moved 60 yards nearer to the start with the aim that runners will approach it at a slower speed from a standing start. There was also no parade of the field and the height of the 11th fence had been reduced by two inches to 4ft 10ins.
Overall, the Grand National 2024 was a thrilling event that saw ‚I Am Maximus‘ and Paul Townend emerge victorious. While the debate around horse racing continues, efforts are being made to improve safety measures and reduce the risks for both horses and jockeys in future races.
