The British Horseracing Authority’s review of the 2012 Grand National has found no-one is to blame for the circumstances which led to the deaths of Synchronised and According To Pete.
The report confirmed Synchronised, who unseated Tony McCoy on the way to the start, was given a full veterinary examination before he was allowed to line up, and had a heartbeat that registered “barely above a normal resting rate”.
But having fallen at Becher’s Brook on the first circuit he ran riderless until falling again at the 11th fence, where it appeared he fractured his right-hind tibia and fibula.
According To Pete was brought down by a faller at Becher’s on the second circuit but was jumped into by another horse as he got up.
The BHA said it was unclear which incident led to the fracture of the horse’s left-fore humerus.
Jamie Stier, director of raceday operations and regulation for the BHA, said a detailed analysis determined the incidents could not have been foreseen.
“The findings include reference to Synchronised getting loose before the start as it was felt important to establish beyond doubt that this episode played no part in the events that resulted in his injury,” Stier said.
“In the case of both Synchronised and According To Pete, it was apparent that factors one could neither have foreseen nor prevented were prevalent in the events that led to the two horses sustaining their injuries.”
Stier also looked into the delayed start, and found that all 40 riders were in breach of the rules.
No disciplinary action will be taken, however, with the jockeys instead to receive letters detailing the BHA’s and Aintree’s disappointment over their conduct at the start.
“We found that in the course of the three occasions on which the field lined up before the race was under way all 40 riders appeared to be in breach of the rules, in that they either lined up prior to being instructed to do so, or lined up despite being instructed not to do so,” Stier said.
“However, taking into account the mitigating circumstances caused by the delay to the start of the race, firstly Synchronised getting loose which was then compounded by the complications experienced with re-setting the starting tape, it has been decided that no disciplinary action will be taken.”
The BHA has yet to decide whether any further changes will be carried out to the Grand National course.
The RSPCA remains adamant, however, that the Grand National must undergo fundamental changes.
Among the RSPCA’s proposed alterations are a reduction to the number of starters, of which only experienced jockeys and horses are eligible, and the removal of Becher’s Brook.
