The world’s most famous steeplechase has new rules. Officials hope to make the Grand National race safer for horses and jockeys.
Changes include reducing the field to 34 horses, down from 40, and softening the fences (jumps) using foam and rubber.
The race will start earlier in the day, so the course stays as soft as possible. The horses will set off from a standing start, rather than running in. These changes will reduce the racers’ speed. Speeds to the first fence had increased about seven miles per hour in recent years. Faster races intensify the risk of injury.
The Grand National has fielded 40 horses since 1984. The large number is often cited—along with the size of the fences—as a key reason why 16 horses have died in the race since the year 2000.
The steeplechase, featured in the 1944 film classic National Velvet, takes place annually in Aintree, England. Horses and jockeys race over 30 fences in front of 70,000 spectators and a global TV audience. That makes it one of the biggest events on the British sporting calendar but also among the most scrutinized in terms of equine welfare concerns.
The changes are controversial. Some fans fear that the race will lose its unique character.
BBC writer Frank Keogh notes that two recent winners—Auroras Encore (2013) and Minella Times (2021)—would not have made the cut for a field of 34.
Nevin Truesdale is chief executive of The Jockey Club, which operates the top racecourses in Great Britain. He defends the new rules. “I believe that a competitive, fair, and safe Randox Grand National is one of the best ways of ensuring the sport continues to thrive for generations to come,” he says. “The safety and care of horses and jockeys will always be our number one priority.”
Officials decided on the changes following a review of independent research into racehorse welfare and statistical data analysis. They also inquired into the views of the racing industry, the British Horseracing Authority, a horse welfare group, and jockeys and trainers.
“There are lots of people who don’t like change, but all sports change,” two-time Grand National-winning jockey Ruby Walsh says. “Soccer is not the same game it was 30 or even 15 years ago and . . . rugby has had to evolve. Racing is the same in that we have to evolve to ensure the future of the sport.”
The 2024 Grand National takes place on April 13.
