i remain vexed.

​I remain vexed at the decision to restrict the number of runners in the 2024 Grand National to 34. 34 is an arbitrary number and will not prevent equine fatalities. 24 or 14 would not prevent accidents occurring. 68 have run in the race in the past without a single equine fatality. Fate determines death, not numerology. 
I am not saying measures were not required to make the race a smidgen safer but picking a number to reduce the field by and crossing fingers is not one that gives me any confidence that Suleka Varma and her team are to be trusted with the world’s most famous horse-race. 
In the aftermath of last season’s race, I wrote to Aintree suggesting that over the first three fences jockeys should be instructed to keep in as straight a line as possible in order to reduce crowding in the early stages of the race. To my mind, the first three fences are the most problematic. I suggested a draw to position horses at the start in groups of three, the inside group, the middle and outer. Radical and strange for a jumps race and not without its own problems but as long as jockeys kept in as straight a line as possible to after the third fence it would make no difference which horses were in which group when the tape goes up.
Also, and I am far from alone in advocating this, ‘win and you are in’ races would at least ensure the right type of horse ran in the race. Raising the minimum rating has rendered the Becher Chase, the main, I would argue, trial for the Grand National, rather pointless. The Grand Sefton and the Becher Chase were resurrected in order to give horses more experience of the unique Aintree fences and yet since Suleka Varma has become Clerk of the Course, these two race have no more significance to the Grand National than a 3-mile handicap chase at Worcester, Sedgefield or name your own third example. In winning the Becher a few weeks ago, Chambard proved himself an ‘Aintree horse’ and his connections should not have to be worrying if the horse will be allowed to compete in the big race. Latenightpass also looks a solid Aintree type, yet his connections, too, cannot make a plan as they too must fret over whether the horse will be rated high enough to get in.
Just being rated 150-plus does not automatically make any horse fit to compete in a Grand National. For the race to survive, the Grand National must be competed for by the right horses, not the highest-rated. Suleka Varma should research Grand National history; she will find that Gold Cup winners have perished in the race.
At the moment a novice chaser with limited experience of steeplechase fences, if it had a high-enough rating, can run in the race but a solid, dependable chaser with good form, winning form, perhaps, around the Aintree fences, as with Chambard, might not.
Also, there is a call for a ‘consolation race’ over the Aintree fences for horses with a rating below that needed for a start in the main event. It is a good idea, though it might be difficult to organise within a 3-day meeting. It needs to be discussed, though, as again it would ensure the right type of horse running in the race. Possible solutions might be to increase the distance of the Becher Chase and frame the race to attract as many runners as possible and with increased prize-money. Resurrect the Valentine Chase to be run the same day as the Grand Sefton. Or stage the Foxhunters and Topham on the Thursday of the meeting and have the Grand National consolation race on the Friday. The main benefit of the consolation race idea is that there would be no need for a minimum rating and as such the race would attract more entries and thus generate more prize-money.
The Grand National must return to 40-runners, with no more lowering of fences as such a move will only be met by a faster pace as jockeys come to stop fearing the fences and ride the race as just another long-distance chase.
Aintree’s policy of ‘death by a thousand-cuts’ is the greatest threat to the race since Bill Davies bought the course with the intention of building houses on the site. We, as enthusiasts of the race, need to rise-up and stand firm against the plans of Suleka Varma and her gang of crowd-pleasers and bombard her in-box with our complaints and fears. It’s the peoples’ race, Miss Varma, not your race. You are merely its custodian; you are in charge of our race, the peoples’ race. Start speaking to us; stop telling us what is in the best interests of our race.