Two new Grand National fence designs have been given a favourable response after they were trialled for the first time at Aintree.
Jockeys gave the thumbs up in what appeared to be a seamless change with all the fences on the famous course looking outwardly the same.
However, four obstacles have been rebuilt with softer cores should the top spruce be knocked off during a race.
The fences came through their first tests with flying colours on Saturday when used in the Becher Handicap Chase and the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase.
Sam Twiston-Davies, who won the two races on Hello Bud and Little Josh respectively, said the changes were not obvious, a sentiment echoed by fellow jockey Conor O’Farrell.
“I felt that the course, including the new fences, rode very well and I had no issue whatsoever,” O’Farrell said.
While happy with comments they have received so far, officials at the Liverpool course will keep assessing the jumps.
“They seemed to get some favourable comments back from jockeys and it all went quite well,” clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch said.
“We’ll be sitting down and having a chat with the jockeys and assessing how we take things forward, if we take things forward, and take it from there.”
The fences with the alterations were the 13th and 14th fences, the last two jumped over any race on the National course. They now have plastic inserts.
The other two fences are open ditches, the third and the 11th, which have a traditional birch frame and are built up over that.
