Importance Score: 65 / 100 🔴
Controversial Start Mars Aintree Hurdle Race
A contentious start overshadowed the William Hill Top Price Guarantee Handicap Hurdle at Aintree, prompting strong criticism from prominent racing analyst Ruby Walsh. Walsh asserted that the starter erred in their handling of the race, held just hours ahead of the prestigious Grand National. Deep Cave, trained by Christian Williams, ultimately claimed victory in the handicap hurdle, with Timmy Tuesday finishing second and Double Powerful securing third place.
Starter’s Actions Under Scrutiny
The race commencement was marred by disarray, with several horses prematurely breaking into a canter while others maintained a jog. As the competitors approached the starting line, some decelerated to near standstill. Notably, the starter did not intervene, allowing the race to proceed despite a number of participants being significantly disadvantaged and left behind at the start.
Ruby Walsh’s Critical Analysis
Ruby Walsh, in his capacity as an ITV analyst, expressed considerable disapproval regarding the handling of the start. He reluctantly attributed fault to the starter.
“I am hesitant to criticize the starter, as I would not undertake their responsibilities even for a significantly increased remuneration, but in this instance, I believe an error was made,” Walsh commented during the broadcast.
He elaborated, “At this juncture, the horses are jogging forward, which is permissible. However, when they transition from a jog into a canter, a start should not be initiated. Dartan and Whatcouldhavebeen, identifiable in blue silks, surge forward, but crucially, they do not revert to a jog.”
Walsh further clarified, “In my assessment, Whatcouldhavebeen remains trotting – definitively a trot, not a jog. Subsequently, the starter initiates the race, resulting in several horses being left trailing behind.”
Aintree’s History of Starting Issues
This incident occurred at the beginning of Saturday’s racing, the final day of the Grand National Festival at Aintree. This year alone, Aintree has witnessed four false starts, adding to a growing record of starting line incidents. Controversy also arose at the Cheltenham Festival in the preceding month.
Cheltenham Festival Starting Incident
At the Cheltenham Festival, the starter for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle permitted the race to commence despite one horse facing the wrong direction. Maughreen, trained by Willie Mullins, was not afforded additional time to correct its orientation after turning around moments before the start.
1993 Grand National “Race That Never Was”
Aintree’s start line has been the scene of significant mishaps in the past. The 1993 Grand National results were voided due to a catastrophic starting error. Esha Ness crossed the finish line first but was denied victory because of a false start that went unacknowledged.
In the 1993 Grand National, despite a clear false start, 30 of the 39 participants commenced and continued the race. Only seven horses completed thecourse. The Jockey Club decided against re-running the race, leading to its infamous designation as ‘the race that never was’.