The Tameside Radio presenter gives his take on the Grand National, which was marred by protestors and the death of horses.

I had a cheeky flutter on the Grand National last weekend. It's the first time I've placed a bet in ages. Lots of workplaces have sweepstakes, including us at Quest Media (although there wasn't one this year), and it's certainly a crowded field of fillies at Aintree, with 40 horses taking part in the world's most famous steeplechase race.

The 175th incarnation was won by Corach Rambler, ridden by Derek Fox. However, this victory has been massively marred following protesters getting onto the course and delaying the start of the race by almost fifteen minutes. Not to mention the fact that three horses died during the week, including the majestic Hill Sixteen, who fell at the first fence during the famous race on Saturday.

The protest group Animal Rising sent 300 people to Aintree in a bid to stop the 5:15 race from ever getting underway. The police had been tipped off and were ready to respond, but with a huge area to cover, it took some time to round them all up. Whilst the protesters only succeeded in delaying the race, they have certainly been more successful in sparking conversations off about animal welfare and horse racing.

Claire King, Emmerdale star and amateur jockey, wrote on social media that protestors need to "learn about the subject of horses" and that "they are now actually doing the opposite of what they claim to believe".

Indeed, Hill Sixteen's trainer Sandy Thomson believes her star horse's fall was as a result of Animal Rising's actions, telling the Racing Post: "It's not good. He got absolutely hyper and we washed him off. They haven't a bloody clue what they're doing. He just hasn't taken off at the first fence ; he's got so bloody hyper because of the carry-on. They just cause more problems than they ever solve."

It was Hill Sixteen's first ever fall, and he previously finished second and seventh in the Grand National.

For their part, Animal Rising point out that 50 horses have died so far on the tracks in 2023. Writing in the Guardian, Alex Lockwood said: "We protested because everywhere we look we see a broken relationship with animals and the natural world". He even compares their actions to Gandhi and Martin Luther King in the opinion piece, and cites research from University of York that shows more than 80% of people under 40 do not want to attend horse racing events, because "they know it is unethical".

They have pledged more action this year. Having had a little flutter, I feel somewhat 'on the fence' about this issue, to use a dreadful pun. Clearly I'm complicit in the eyes of the protesters, but having listened to a recent episode of The News Agents, I do think it's worth listening to both sides and having a conversation about this.

Both sides are clearly very entrenched in their positions, but I can no longer watch the Grand National on TV, as I find the sight of horses falling and being whipped too distressing. I consider myself an animal lover, but some have pointed out that thoroughbred horses are literally bred to race, so there would be an existential question raised if all racing was halted. Protest groups have said we need to assess our entire relationship with the animal kingdom.

Does that extend to keeping dogs and cats as pets? What about fishing?  It's hard to know where to draw the line, but I do think we need a big conversation about events like the Grand National. It's very unlike most other races due to its extended distance, number of jumps, and number of competitors, but it's certainly the one that gets most of the public's attention. A bit like me, with my one and only bet of the year so far.

Whilst Animal Rising may want a complete end to meat-eating and dairy farming in the UK, they will definitely see Saturday's publicity as a win for their cause. The question now is what happens next.

Whilst I said I'm a bit in the middle, I do have a lot of sympathy with the argument that the delay caused the horses added distress. That makes complete sense to me, and I honestly believe the jockeys and trainers have nothing but love for their animals. But I also think we need to listen to concerns rather than shout them down. It felt a bit like there was a desperation to get the race underway at any cost, and on this occasion it cost one of the competing horses' lives. It's truly tragic, whatever your viewpoint on the sport.