Grand National to see major changes next year
The Jockey Club has reduced the field size for the UK’s most famous horse race from 2024.
UK.- The Jockey Club has announced major changes for the Grand National as of 2024. In a bid to improve safety for riders and horses, the field size will be reduced from 40 to 34 runners.
The owner of Aintree Racecourse also said that the Grand National’s famous first fence will be moved 60 yards closer to the start of the course in a bid to reduce the number of horses or jockeys who fall due to the speed at which they reach it. The race will also go back to a standing start, while the start time will be brought forward from 5.00pm so that the ground is as soft as possible.
Aintree’s running rail on the inside of the course will be redesigned to help catch loose horses and fence 11 will be reduced by two inches. The Grand National Review Panel said the changes were part of a focus on protections for jockeys and animal welfare.
The Jockey Club will also step up procedures for evaluating horses that have a record of jumping errors in more than half of their previous eight races.
CEO Nevin Truesdale said: “The Randox Grand National is part of the fabric of British sporting life alongside the likes of Wimbledon, the FA Cup, and the Open golf and is loved and watched by millions of people all over the world every year.
“Our sport, like many other sports have done, needs to recognise when action needs to be taken to evolve because the safety and care of horses and jockeys will always be our number one priority. In making these changes at Aintree, we are underlining our relentless focus on welfare and our commitment to powering the future of British racing.”
Aintree head of racing and clerk of the course Sulekha Varma, who oversaw the safety review, said: “The welfare of our racehorses and jockeys is our number one priority at Aintree and we have invested significantly in equine welfare over many years.
“We continually review the Grand National and following an in-depth, evidence-based review process this year, we are announcing several changes as part of its continued evolution.”
New Premier Raceday fixtures for UK racing
Meanwhile, the BHA has published its 2024 Fixture List, which features a number of changes. It will promote ‘170 Premier Racedays‘ in a bid to engage new audiences and will invest in higher prizes in a bid to guarantee the participation of the best horses and riders. The Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) has pledged an extra £3.8m to fund Premier Raceday fixtures.
Premier Racedays will receive more promotion, broadcast coverage and fan engagement innovations developed by the BHA’s Commercial Committee. Each will feature a minimum number of higher-class races, together with other fixtures to provide opportunities for a range of horses. There will be guaranteed minimum prize money of at least £20,000 per flat race and £15,000 for jumps.
The UK gambling industry lobby group, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), has said that the UK’s biggest bookmakers will pay an extra £30m for horseracing broadcast rights in 2024. It said that Entain, Flutter Entertainment, bet365, 888/William Hill and Betfred will together pay an estimated £315.2m, an increase of 10.5 per cent year-on-year.
This year, the operators will pay £285.3m, already an increase of 5.6 per cent compared to 2022 (£270.1m). The BGC says its estimates are adjusted to account for payments made by smaller firms.
