The Grand National faces its most daunting obstacle

The world’s biggest race is under threat like never before and the new, less risky version is in danger of losing its appeal

- SAM TURNER

The FA Cup final, a Lord’s Test match, The Open, Wimbledon, the Grand National – all iconic British sporting events, revered and treasured by the viewing public.

For some of a certain vintage, all of the above, plus the likes of the British Grand Prix and World Snooker Championship are intrinsically linked with our childhoods and formed the very fabric of our sporting obsession, with terrestrial television transporting us to Wembley, Silverstone or Aintree to witness acts of brilliance and unstinting bravery.

That was certainly the correct description for the jockeys who tackled the National’s formidable obstacles – 40 horses galloping at high speed, attacking fences like Becher’s Brook and The Chair. There was a jeopardy, an unavoidable feeling of anxiety and suspense; would the horse we had drawn in the office sweepstake, been tipped by grandma or picked on trends and statistics, navigate both the 5ft ditch and most imposing fence on the course at 5ft 2in?

To echo the Australian description of the Melbourne Cup, the National was a race that stopped a nation on that one Saturday afternoon in April.

Those days are arguably now behind us as recent alterations to the make-up of the National have been made to ensure its longevity and placate a minority with increasingly louder voices pushing for a complete ban on horse racing and to let every horse in training run free.

A reduction in the maximum field from 40 runners to 34 has not been universally welcomed by the industry, who wonder, with some justification, where these modifications will end, while the examination of a horse’s jumping ability is barely recognisable from the days of Red Rum.

The transformation of the National is of huge concern to Darren Owen, who has commentated on the marquee event for more than 20 years in his role both for BBC Television and 5Live.