The Grand National, one of the most recognized steeplechase events in the world, was delayed 15 minutes this weekend after animal rights protestors infiltrated the event.
According to The Guardian, more than 100 people were arrested for their activities at or near Aintree. Some used ladders to climb over barricades around the course and attempted to use glue and locking devices to attach themselves to fences. Others glued themselves to a nearby roadway, causing a three-hour delay for attendees headed to the race. Additional people were arrested on charges related to disrupting public order.
The animal rights group Animal Rising organized the protestors who turned out to the racecourse with signs and branded t-shirts.
The race was won by Corach Rambler, marking the first time in six years the winner had been trained by a British conditioner in Lucinda Russell.
The Grand National has been the subject of much criticism by animal rights and animal welfare groups in recent years. In response, organizers have removed or modified some of the more challenging obstacles and stepped up veterinary resources on site. There were no equine fatalities in the event for a seven year stretch until one horse died at the first fence in 2019. Since then, the race saw one fatality in 2021 and two more last year.
This year saw one fatality at the first fence, in addition to two others across the three-day Aintree meet.
Trainer Sandy Thomson, who conditioned Hill Sixteen, blamed protestors for his horse's fall at the first fence, which resulted in a broken neck. Thomson told media he believed the horse was overwrought by the chaos caused by the protests and indicated the extended delay in the race's beginning caused Hill Sixteen to become overheated. Thomson pointed out the horse had run over the same course previously and never had an issue until the Grand National.
The tactic by protestors at the Grand National was similar to a strategy used by protestors at Golden Gate Fields in 2021, in which a group of protestors connected themselves to each other and laid down on the track in an attempt to halt racing there. The race card was delayed by six hours. The track later sued the animal rights group for trespassing and interference with economic relations and was hit with a counter suit claiming the track was trying to intimidate members out of protesting. The California Court of Appeals later ruled in the favor of Golden Gate Fields.
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