What safety measures are in place at Grand National?

The Grand National course at Aintree features famous fences like The Chair, pictured here during the 2024 Grand National

Racehorses are now often able to recover from injuries which would previously have been fatal, an equine veterinarian has said.

David Stack, from the University of Liverpool's Leahurst Equine Hospital, said: "Technology has really advanced. Lots of fractures which sadly resulted in the demise of the horse in yesteryear are now repairable."

He was speaking ahead of the Grand National at Aintree, an event targeted in the past by animal rights activists concerned about the toll taken on horses by the gruelling race.

Modifications at Aintree continue to be made. Fences and hurdles are now painted white so they are more visible to horses, while the Grand National field is now capped at 34.

'Specialists on standby'

John Pullin, Aintree Racecourse's clerk of the course, said: "People will notice that the padding and paint on fences and hurdles is now white, whereas it used to be orange.

"That was as a result of study done by a university into equine vision that established horses don't see the way humans do."

Despite work done to improve equine welfare, risk of injury or worse cannot be eliminated.

However, Mr Stack said specialist vets would be on standby throughout the meeting, both at the racecourse and at nearby stables.

He said: "The type of injuries we're anticipating are fractures, speedy cuts or injuries where the horse strikes itself or is struck into by another horse."

Two horses that ran in the Grand National in 2023 had required keyhole surgery and tendon repair at the Leahurst Hospital before a period of rehabilitation, he said.

One of them was Cape Gentleman, who suffered a career-ending injury during the race.

Vets were able to save him though, with Mr Stack saying the horse "has had a brilliant recovery".