Death by a thousand cuts: we can't keep chipping away at the Grand National
A decade ago, officials at Aintree reduced the height of fences and levelled landing side drops around its Grand National course.
Included among the various modifications was the shaving of five inches off Becher’s Brook descent. Following a similar move in 1990, it in effect removed the last remnant of a ditch about the obstacle. It became a brook in name only.
The 2012 changes came following a pair of National fatalities in 2011. Alas, there were two further casualties in 2012 – including that season's Gold Cup winner Synchronised – despite all the modifications.
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