Grand National 2013: Little Josh becomes second horse to die over the big Aintree fences

It will have been a worry for the authorities that for the second time in two days there were a series of false starts before the starter could get them away in a race over the Aintree fences.

Last night the Aintree stewards had 25 of the 29 jockeys who rode in the race into the stewards room for interviews and banned them all for one day. One thing is for sure, the 40 riders in todays National can expect a stern talking to from stewards after weighing out for the race.

Despite all that, professional jockeys who were getting their first feel of the newly-constructed fences, gave the course a ringing endorsement.

Last years National winning jockey Daryl Jacob, who finished 12th in the Topham on Fistral Beach, said: The fences definitely have a bit of give. They must have, as I should have fallen two or three times.

Another Grand National winner Jason Maguire, who finished fourth yesterday on Dunowen Point, said: I had a nice run round the fences seem brilliant.

Until that last ditch, the 15th fence yesterday, the race had been almost devoid of incident. One jockey was unseated at the eighth and another at the 14th, but the only actual faller until that point had come down at the ninth and a field of 27, headed by Little Josh, had skipped over Bechers Brook, Foinavon, the Canal Turn and Valentines without a problem.

Though there were a few more empty saddles because of the unseated riders, only three of the 29 starters actually fell and one of them, State Benefit, was led back by one of the courses mounted outriders, an innovation for this years meeting.

At the other end of the race on a day when Nicky Henderson horses could do nothing wrong Barry Geraghty and Triolo DAlene emerged from a group of 15 to lead going to the last and run on to win by three quarters of a length from Walkon.

Henderson had also won with My Tent Or Yours, Sprinter Sacre then made it four wins for the day when Minella Forfitness won the handicap hurdle.

Having done all his winning this winter in soft or heavy going, the faster ground here might have been an issue for Albert Bartlett winner At Fishers Cross in the John Smiths Sefton Novice Hurdle.

Go here to read the rest:
Grand National 2013: Little Josh becomes second horse to die over the big Aintree fences