Darly Jacob on latest Grand National alterations

By Daryl Jacob

Horse Racing

Thu October 12, 2023 · 2y ago

Grand National-winning jockey Daryl Jacob gives his thoughts on the latest alternations to the Aintree Grand National.

National is unique - let's never change that

The Grand National is the biggest race in the calendar and one of the biggest races in the world.

Horse and jockey welfare is obviously very important, there’s no denying that. This is the cream of the crop and in a sport like ours there is always going to be significant risk attached.

The horses running in the Grand National are top-class these days, they’re some of the best National Hunt horses in the world contesting the race. It has to be a challenge. And that’s what makes the race very exciting to watch.

That’s why people love it, because of the quality on show and because of the challenge posed for horse and rider. And maybe even because of the small amount of risk that comes with that challenge.

The speed, the jumping, fitness, stamina – everything involved in this race demands that you have to have a very good horse, a good trip around and a bit of luck along the way as well. There’s so much that goes on and that’s what makes the Grand National so appealing to the general public and the wider world.

It’s not like watching a typical handicap chase around Cheltenham, Haydock or Wincanton. This is unique and I’d love to the Grand National that way for future generations to enjoy.

But I accept times do change and to keep the sport of racing in people’s minds for the right reasons and to keep this race relevant for modern-day viewers, I appreciate the latest attempts being made to do just that.

Daryl Jacob looks to the skies on Neptune Collonges after tasting Grand National glory

Straight lines feel a touch one-dimensional

I do have one or two reservations, including around the standing start.

Horses are not like robots. You have to remember they are trained for this minute, they’re ready to run the race of their lives or they wouldn’t be in the line-up at all. They are highly-energised and highly-excited and fit horses.

It is going to be very difficult for all the horses and all the jockeys, plus the starter themselves, to make this work. It’s a seriously challenging race, as I’ve already touched on, but to be in a line, all standing still, at the start of the Grand National shouldn’t really be part of the challenge in my view.

It’s an almost impossible position to be putting the starter in, and it’s clearly tough for all the jockeys.

If I had my way I’d suggest that the horses all go back and slowly walk into line towards the tape. Yes, some would be jig-jogging and on their toes, but for me that’s just a better way to get everyone off to a fair start.

With a standing start, one horse might shy from the tape slightly and it could easily have a domino effect on others in the line. So I’m cautious about the standing start, despite it looking a sensible move on paper.

I know it’s grabbed most of the headlines this morning but, personally, I can’t see the reduction of the field-size having any real impact. To have a 34-runner field, it’s still a big, big field and well above average.

Whether you’ve got 34 or 40 runners, from a jockey’s perspective it doesn’t really matter much as there’s still an awful lot of horses you’ve got to negotiate. It won’t change a rider’s point of view on the race and there’s a lot of luck involved as to whether it will alter the safety of the race in general. I’ve not seen much data to back up the decision to reduce the field size but I presume it must be out there somewhere.

Speed awareness key on this course

My other note of caution is around the further reduction in height to one of the fences, together with the ‘levelling off’ on the landing side.

I get why moving the first fence half a furlong closer to the start has been implemented as it’s all about reducing speed in the very early stages, but I wouldn’t be against reducing the speed horses are running at throughout the entire race, and lowering fences even further could potentially have the opposite effect.

You’re getting top-class horses running in the National and if they’ve got smaller obstacles to negotiate then they’re going to be going quicker and quicker. Think about a speed-bump in a road – you slow right down when coming to those big ones, but the lesser speed-bumps you probably take at a bit more speed.

So I wouldn’t be against the ground being on the easy side - through watering if necessary - and the fences being left that big bigger, but I’m sure the Grand National will remain a serious challenge going forward.

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