The It Parade: Aintree Tragedy

[The "It" Parade.]

Why did spooked horse ever run? Aintree tragedy could have been avoided, insist racing experts
Nine-year-old Grand National favourite fell twice during race and had to be put down
Pundits had raised concerns over horse's well-being after it threw jockey Tony McCoy minutes before start
Synchronised fell at notorious Becher's Brook, before second fall five fences later where it broke a hind leg
RSPCA demand changes to race after describing Grand National as 'clearly not safe enough'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2130246/Grand-National-2012...

A champion horse killed after falling at the Grand National should never have been allowed to race after it became spooked before the start, experts said yesterday.
Millions saw Gold Cup winner Synchronised throw its rider before poignantly galloping alone in front of the grandstand ahead of the race on Saturday.
It was eventually retrieved by officials and reunited with its jockey Tony McCoy at the start. However, it was to die in the race a few minutes later after it fell twice.

The nine-year-old carried on racing ‘riderless’ for a further five fences before falling again and breaking a hind leg. The agonising decision was then made to put the horse down by lethal injection beside the track where it fell.
Another horse, According to Pete, met the same grim fate, leading to angry calls for the Aintree event – first run in 1839 – to be made safer.
The RSPCA called for an ‘urgent examination’ and said it had serious concerns about the high number of horses included in the race, as well as the difficulty of some jumps.
The race was delayed when McCoy fell from Synchronised before the start.
The horse ran some distance down the course on its own before it was caught and a vet was then seen checking the animal’s heartbeat before it was ridden back to the start.
According to some experts, the gelding may not have been in the right condition to run the gruelling race.
As the horse and rider were filmed facing the first fence, Miss Balding commented on air: ‘I don’t think he fancies it much, you know.’ She added afterwards: ‘I know that’s a silly thing to say.’ Yesterday Miss Balding, an experienced horsewoman, wrote on Twitter: ‘It is wrong to wake up the morning after an event still upset about it.’
She also wrote messages saying there are too many horses in the Grand National, meaning they do not have enough room to jump and land safely.
McCririck commented: ‘Racing must review whether horses should be allowed to take part if they get loose and run free.
‘For years, along with others, I’ve campaigned for horses to be withdrawn if they unnaturally exert themselves at such a crucial moment. The industry must act to cut down this kind of avoidable risk.’
The chief executive of the RSPCA, Gavin Grant, demanded significant changes to the race, where last year two horses were also killed.
‘It’s clearly not safe enough,’ he said yesterday, calling for an end to ‘death and suffering’ at Aintree.

He continued: ‘We recognise racing is part and parcel of the fabric of our country but we’ve all got a responsibility as human beings – after all the horses haven’t got a choice, they can’t make the decisions – to make racing as safe as it can be.
‘As far as the Grand National is concerned there are lots of factors, Firstly, the scale of the field. Forty horses is a heck of a lot.
‘Secondly, there are unique jumps there that horses aren’t experienced in going over and I think we need to look at those jumps again.’

The National was won by 33-1 shot Neptune Collonges, who beat Sunnyhillboy by a nose in the tighest ever finish.
Seabass came in third, the best ever finish for a horse ridden by a female jockey, Katie Walsh. Both the dead horses fell at Becher’s Brook, a jump which has claimed more horses than any other in the iconic race.
Made of spruce trees, it is notorious because of the size and angle of the 6ft 9in drop on the landing side, which is lower than the take-off.
Synchronised came to grief on the first circuit, but managed to gallop onwards, jumping five more fences before falling again at the 11th.