The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) says it will “review” Grand National meeting races “in minute detail” after three horses died.
Hill Sixteen was destroyed after falling at the first fence during the main race of the Grand National, watched by a crowd of around 700,000. It followed the deaths of Dark Raven and Envoye Special earlier on Saturday and Thursday respectively.
BHA chief executive Julie Harrington said: “Our thoughts are with everyone involved with the horses that suffered fatal injuries this week.
“No one will be more affected by this news than the trainers, owners and stable staff who have provided these horses with first class care and attention throughout their lives.
“The BHA Racecourse and Aintree will now look at the races in great detail, as they do every year, to draw on our existing data and help us understand what caused these incidents.”
More than 100 protesters were arrested on Saturday
Protesters “unarrested”
Meanwhile, more than 40 animal rights activists have been arrested a day after a large group of protesters tried to enter the track at Aintree racecourse, delaying the Grand National race by 12 minutes, campaigners said Animal Rising.
Some 118 people were arrested by Merseyside Police on Saturday after protesters scaled fences and at least two people arranged to jump using glue and blocking devices.
Others were stuck on the M57 causing traffic delays of more than an hour.
Those arrested were men and women aged between 18 and 66 and came from as far afield as Kent, Southampton, London, Essex, Swansea, Falkirk and Glasgow.
They were arrested on suspicion of a range of offences, including conspiracy to cause public nuisance, obstruction of roads and possession of controlled drugs.
Of the arrested 65 people were arrested and are being processed and will be released on bail pending further investigations.
Animal Rising spokesman Nathan McGovern said 42 people had been “disarrested” and “put on the street by the police”.
Assistant Chief Constable Paul White said: “As you can understand, the safety and well-being of everyone is a primary concern when it comes to large-scale public events such as this, and that includes those protesting.”
He said that while police “respect the right to peaceful protest and the expression of views”, criminal behavior and disorder “will not be tolerated”.
Read more:
The third racehorse dies during the Grand National meeting
Grand National “a shame”
Opinion – “I loved the Grand National until I saw what I saw”
Protests followed by the death of a horse
McGovern said the protests were carried out to “prevent the horses from being harmed”, adding that the death of Hill Sixteen “would have been avoided if the race had not been run”.
He said: “Animal Rising supporters do not take the risk of arrest lightly, but taking action to protect animals and nature is more important than maintaining business as usual.
“This is just the beginning of many peaceful actions to really create a national conversation about our fractured connection to animals and our natural world this summer, whether they result in arrests or not.”
Merseyside Police had said: “We respect the right to peaceful protest and the expression of views, but criminal behavior and disorder will not be tolerated and will be dealt with firmly.”
BHA chief executive Harrington said on Sunday: “We respect anyone’s right to have opinions about our sport, but we strongly condemn the reckless and potentially damaging actions of a handful of people in disrupting racing at a time when what horses were in the parade. ring.
“Those involved in British racing are rightly proud of our sport and the role it plays in providing an unrivaled quality of life for racehorses. Love and respect for horses is the heart of everything we do.”
