RIP Synchronised and According to Peter

[Welly]

Title says it really.. RIP.. Another two lives wasted..

Run free you gorgeous pair xx

[Jan]

So sad, RIP.

2012 is the last Grand National I will ever watch.

[Catg]

RIP :( xxxx

[Loony]

RIP beautiful horses. xxxx

I've already ranted and raved on FB about all this. Saw your comments Welly, 100% agree with you xx

[Boo's mom]

I've not watched it for years, refuse to. What a waste of 2 beautiful horses :(.
There are just too many runners for the race to be anything other than dangerous.
RIP gorgeous horses xx

[north-mcqueen]

Never watched it, never will. Should be banned in my opinion.

R.I.P :(

[ness]

T was suc h a shame that the two horses died, as it was really exciting finish.I think that the vets are being more proactive these days in insisting that the horses were pts at the scene instead of trying to save them as they would have done at one time. That, at least is a step in the right direction?
RIP Synchronised and According to Pete.

[Teej]

I don't /won't watch it & I've also had my say on facebook. I really don't get why an owner would want to enter their horse in that race knowing full well that 1) there are far too many horses entered and 2) there are always severe injuries/ fatalities. I would not take the risk.

RIP 2 more beautiful Thoroughbreds...

To the trainers, jockeys and stable hands, I am so sorry for your loss and I share your sadness. To the owners, there is more to horses than money...... I'm sure I said the same thing last year :(

[Cancara]

Just a small correction- According to Pete, not Peter. Poor owner/breeders were neurotic beforehand, wonder how they are doing.

It was quite emotional to see John Hales, Neptunes Collognes' owner, embracing and kissing his horse afterwards- he has said he will never race again. John Hales lost his great grey chaser One Man in a standard chase here at Aintree years ago. I don't know how he was convinced to let Neptunes' take his chance but he did- he did say that the family had been split over the decision.

The fatalities; According to Pete was just such an awful thing, and it's happened in other races over standard fences many times. A horse fell in front in him, and he was brought down, breaking a foreleg in the process. I don't think this was anything to do with numbers really, as this was in the latter part of the race,when around half the runners had been pulled up, fallen, or tailed off, it was just bad luck. There were 8 horses running in front or around According to Pete when the accident happened- not a massive number. Here is a shot of just before the incident to show what I mean:

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh27/Xenomorphic_2008/AccordingtoPete.jpg

Pete is the whitefaced horse, jockey in red, marked with a white line. On His Own, the horse that fell and brought him down, is alongside the loose horse, jockey in beige, marked with the other white line. They are just a couple of strides off the fence here. On His Own couldn't find a stride and somehow slowed up so much that Pete almost ended up on top of him, but as you can see, they weren't cramped up until those last few moments. It was just so sad- just a couple of inches either side and he would have been ok.

Synchronised I was confused about- I thought he'd got up fine from his fall. I am still trying to piece together the facts, but I believe there is a possibility the fatal injury could have been sustained when he was running loose after the fall.

[lozy]

Synchronized sustained his injury without his jockey.

[Kelza]

I just can't bring myself to watch this race at all, saying that I never watch horse racing! It annoys me when people say the horses are looked after amazingly and that other horses are in much worse conditions.These horses are raced for our entertainment but they died doing so, to me that's just wrong!

[Zeitgeist Mom]

I watched it for the first and only time last year. I won't ever watch it again. I think it's barbaric and can't believe that it is still allowed in this day and age. The reason it is so famous, and so popular, is because it is the most challenging race, with the most fatalities. In other words, people love it because it is quite simply a blood sport.

For me the very worst aspect is Becher's Brooke. How that jump is allowed is a complete mystery to me. It is a cruel trick to play on a horse, placing a 6'9" drop on the other side of a jump, which the horse cannot see. :(

[mrs flyboy]

Synchronised broke down some time after his fall. He was riderless and was filtered out by the safety measures that have been implemented, the filter lanes back to the stables. His leg then fractured whilst he was on his way back to the stables.

[beano the nut]

Nothing can justify the loss of these beautiful horses but please don't say owners only do it for the money. The majority of them love the horses and the sport. There will be many a broken hearts today :(

[XenaWarriorPrincess]

Synchronized fell at another fence running riderless and broke his hind leg, so it wasnt the actual fall at the 6th fence that he suffered the injury.

I have put my thoughts on the other GN thread but for ALL involved with the horses it is devastating to have your horse injured let alone to have an empty space on the lorry home.