Grand National protesters blamed for death of Hill Sixteen by horse’s trainer

Sandy Thomson, trainer of first-fence fatality Hill Sixteen, is adamant the 15-minute delay caused by protesters to the start of the 175th Randox Grand National at Aintree was the major contributory factor to the horse’s fall.

“In my mind there’s no doubt about it,” said Thomson after Saturday's race. “It was the cause of the problems we had.”

A total of 118 people were arrested amid the chaotic scenes, with animal rights activists breaking onto the course and attempting to prevent the race taking place.

Hill Sixteen, an experienced 10-year-old having his 20th start in a chase, had a terrific CV for the race; he had never fallen before and had previously jumped twice round the course in the Becher Chase “without the semblance of a mistake”.

“The whole thing was a nightmare,” reflected Thomson. “It was fine until nothing started to happen in the paddock. Eventually we took him back to the saddling up area, took the saddle off and washed him down, as did Ted Walsh with Any Second Now. He had got very hot. Then suddenly we were off again. We were almost last out of the paddock and it was mayhem.

“He galloped through the first fence which was totally out of character. Looking at him I could see him wondering ‘what’s this, hello?’ I’m amazed they were only 14 minutes late. I wonder if a parade might have settled things down but, in my mind there’s no doubt about it: The protests caused the problems we had.”

Animal Rising, the Extinction Rebellion offshoot group, sent its “deepest condolences” to Hill Sixteen on Sunday, but then immediately warned the chaos caused on Saturday was “just the start” of planned disruption this summer. Telegraph Sport understands greyhound racing events are likely to be targeted next – but other major racing events are not part of the current plan.

Of those arrested on Saturday, none had been charged by Sunday evening, with 24 “released thus far” and 42 “de-arrested and turned out onto the street by police”, the activists claimed.

“This is just the start of many peaceful actions to really create a national conversation about our fractured connection with animals and our natural world this summer, whether they result in arrests or not,” a statement added.

On Saturday, as the activists were rounded up by police, the pre-race parade was skipped to make up for lost time, which meant not all horses were able to look at the first fence. Jockey Nico de Boinville, who rode long time leader Mister Coffey, said everything was compounded by another shorter delay for the late removal of a protester just as the 39 runners were being called into line.

With the crowd and jockeys keyed up by the initial delay, a number of horses were feeling the febrile atmosphere, Hill Sixteen and Cloudy Bay, another first-fence departure, among them.

“At the start there was,” said De Boinville, “a feeling of real electricity. Everyone was fired up, once you’re called in for the first time, you’re revving the engine.”

While a 14-minute delay to a race ordinarily might have no effect on the horses, it was the timing of it – after the horses had been saddled – which was critical. Horses will stand all day in a racecourse stables box but they know what they are there for once they have a saddle on and there is a strong case for arguing that Saturday’s protests, purportedly in the name of animal welfare, had precisely the opposite effect.

Since the modifications to the course in 2013 when the cores of the fences were softened, the pattern of the race has changed and the average number of fallers has dropped from 11.6 to five. The first fence, with no drop on it now, is no longer the bogey fence it once was.

Unscheduled partings of the ways between horses and jockeys now tend to come further down the line. Sometimes they get beyond Becher’s before there is the semblance of a spillage and a lot of the drama happens on the second circuit.

Nearly all Saturday’s drama happened early on during the first circuit with eight either falling or unseating at the first two fences. In the previous nine years there were a total of 17 who fell or were unseated over the first two fences.

The British Horseracing Authority’s chief veterinary officer, James Given, had a grandstand position just behind the start. “While a direct link between the protest and the injuries in the race is difficult to make, it certainly did not help the horses,” he said. “It was extremely reckless of the protesters to carry out their action at a time when horses were in the parade ring.

“The racecourse and BHA moved quickly to ensure that the horses could be moved out of the parade ring and into the quieter pre-parade and cool-down areas. But there is no doubt that having the horses in the parade ring for an extended period, on a hot day and in front of a large crowd, is not ideal.

“I have trained racehorses and practised as a vet for many years, and my motivation for working in this sport – like everyone in the industry – is my deep respect for thoroughbred horses. I fully understand why there is a lot of anger directed towards the protesters today by my industry colleagues and lovers of the sport.

“The protesters' actions could have potentially endangered horses and people, while purportedly being carried out in the name of safety. Nevertheless, my colleagues and I will continue to dedicate our lives to looking after these wonderful animals, who are bred for this sport which brings such a wonderful quality of life to so many horses.”

Roly Owers, chief executive of World Horse Welfare, an equine charity which supports the responsible use of horses in sport and advises the BHA, said this year’s meeting, at which three horses were killed, was “difficult to watch” and called on racing to bring forward its work on the Jump Race Risk Model to make the National and other races safer.

“Progress on this has not been quick enough,” he said. “Overall the types of questions which need to be considered are the number of runners, how to reduce the number of fallers, how to better manage loose horses and how to better manage the start.

“No one can accept fatalities as a certainty at any race and no one, least of all anyone in racing, wants to see what we witnessed in Saturday’s National.”

Animal Rising claim their actions aimed to prevent deaths

In response to criticism of their actions, Animal Rising told Telegraph Sport: “Firstly, we want to offer our deepest condolences to anyone connected to Hill Sixteen or who has been impacted by the death. Animal Rising’s actions at the Grand National aimed to prevent exactly that from happening... The only way to prevent more harm from coming to these beautiful creatures is by completely re-evaluating our connection to them and finding a way of loving them that doesn’t put them in harm’s way.”

On Sunday evening, Merseyside Police defended its security operation. Those arrested included “men and women aged between 18 and 66 years old and came from as far as Kent, Southampton, London, Essex, Swansea, Falkirk and Glasgow”, the force added.

“They were arrested on suspicion of a number of offences including conspiracy to cause public nuisance, obstructing highways and possession of controlled drugs,” officers added.

Assistant Chief Constable Paul White rejected criticism of the policing operation, pointing out the whole site “covers an extensive perimeter of around 5km which in parts is open land”.

“We had a robust plan in place to deal with incidents, and as such our officers and security staff were able to quickly deal with the situation in a safe and appropriate manner,” White added.

“It is also important to add that we respect the right to a peaceful protest and expression of views, but criminal behaviour and disorder will not be tolerated and sadly this is what took place at yesterday’s event in an attempt to disrupt the race which resulted in the arrests.”

Of the 118 arrests, 65 people were taken into custody and “are being processed and will be bailed pending further inquiries”, officers added.