Was gutted at the time as I had esha ness in a sweepstake in work. In fairness to the jockeys, there's always the risk of idiot protestors trying to stop the race, and as the commentators said, this is probably what they thought. The crowd booing was a bit harsh though. I bet they've never tried to stop a horse at full pelt
people who say the jockeys should have realised, they have spent ages looking foreward to this, and years have been spent training these horses,months specifically for this race, as long as i wasnt the only one, i would keep going personally. The other thing is the crowd are terrible at the start, no wonder the horses wont settle!
I cant believe by sounds of it that the on course commentator in the background is commentating as if the race is ON. Surely he could have bought some kind of sensibility to this fiasco. (unless he didnt realise either). The jockeys surely would have picked up the tanoy commentary and realised!!
An incredible sporting moment, I remember watching the race and being very confused about what was happening. Luckily I got my money back although some people didn't bother.
I felt very sorry for the starter - he took a lot of abuse for this. He had a very difficult job with an antiquated system. I would have sent them all back 10 yards at the start but that`s easy with retrospect.
also what idiot jockeys. idc what anyone says. it was obvious it was void...WHY DIDNT A FALLEN OR DISMOUNTED JOCKEY WAVE A FLAG TO STP THEM?! THEY WOULD HAVE KNOW IT WASNT A HOAX THEN!
@comeonshaymen why?? its not stupid at all. if a Jockey someone they know and trust) was waving the flag to stop the race they would have done it instantly. The reason they didnt stop was because they thought it was protesters on the course. If they saw a fellow Jockey they would know 100% it wasnt fake. And is it really more stupid than this race being allowed to finish? no.
not being funny but isnt it amazing how few fallers there were. If it hadnt been void that would have been the real talking point, only 1 fell before the one after valentines...thats insane
...Quite simply...the biggest disgrace ever to be inflicted on British Horse Racing!..You may as well have put Laurel and Hardy in charge!...Look at that sorry old fart of a starter at 5.15 ....he couldnt even wave a flag properly!...The ineptitude of this man is now the stuff of legend!...Thank God, after this shambles, they made changes to this race and nothing like this ever happened again!
@TheDevilDriver1993 The commentary on SIS didn't continue beyond the the Canal Turn the second time round, but the BBC stuck to it and did the right thing because no one - NO ONE - could be 100% certain that it WAS a void race at the time.
foreign runners had to have had 3 runs in britain to accord a handicap rating.
since the horse in question had not run enough times in england to give the handicapper enough evidence to assess the horses merit, it was automatic topweight for foreign runners.
It never ceases to amaze me that they insist on using a tape to start a race that is over four and a half miles long ... they might as well introduce starting stalls, that's how ridiculous it is.
Just a white line painted across the grass, tell the jockeys not to cross the line until the starter shouts. If a horse is a bit behind the rest, what the hell difference does it make over this distance?
@gary1961 Yes it certainly is very much a pointless waste of time having a bloody tape start as what advantage is anyone going to get without a tape start
you know what the problem was, at the 2nd attempt to start them, at 05:02 the starter said 'all right come on' BEFORE he raised the tape, which made the jockey on the horse in white (number 33) anticipate the start before the tape went up. if it wasnt for that 1 horse catching its head on the tape, the race would have been ok. it was just so depressing, a miserable day with dull weather to match the mood but given how primitive the starting system was, its surprising it hadn't happened before.
@Katabatic77 You're right, she reacted quicker than the other jockeys and unfortunately got her horse's head caught up in the tape but you are right about the tape, you would've thought after the first time they could've considered a flag start but with some of the mulish ones, it may not have worked
the starter was definitely to blame in my opinion.
he mis timed saying 'come on' with activating the lever.
there was a delay in between those 2 events. he should have said 'come on' simultaneously with raising the tape.
i think the jeering and anxiety of the crowd got to him, and he was under pressure to get the thing under way and nerves affected his timing and judgement. he was distracted by the crowd and not fully concentrated, but it was obviously a pressure situation.
@Katabatic77 Well the first time he did both actions together but the second time, you're right and as it was his last National starting the race, the occasion got to him and he made the biggest mistake of his career!
I could not agree more with your comment on the BBC coverage. This is the first time I have seen the race since then and the situation still comes across as unbelievable.
Thank you so much for sharing this! Muchly appreciated and I must agree, a wonderful job done by all three commentators but Sir Peter's comment about the runners being called back the first time is just haunting to hear knowing what happened next!
Was gutted at the time as I had esha ness in a sweepstake in work. In fairness to the jockeys, there's always the risk of idiot protestors trying to stop the race, and as the commentators said, this is probably what they thought. The crowd booing was a bit harsh though. I bet they've never tried to stop a horse at full pelt
adzerrancoon 1 month ago
people who say the jockeys should have realised, they have spent ages looking foreward to this, and years have been spent training these horses,months specifically for this race, as long as i wasnt the only one, i would keep going personally. The other thing is the crowd are terrible at the start, no wonder the horses wont settle!
minisciencebites 2 months ago
I'm American and I find this event entertaining!
Gregsynthbootlegs 3 months ago
I cant believe by sounds of it that the on course commentator in the background is commentating as if the race is ON. Surely he could have bought some kind of sensibility to this fiasco. (unless he didnt realise either). The jockeys surely would have picked up the tanoy commentary and realised!!
wayner54321123 3 months ago
An incredible sporting moment, I remember watching the race and being very confused about what was happening. Luckily I got my money back although some people didn't bother.
Stephen1965 4 months ago
seriously would you want to stand in front of 30 racehorses going 40mph plus?
Willbutler 4 months ago
I felt very sorry for the starter - he took a lot of abuse for this. He had a very difficult job with an antiquated system. I would have sent them all back 10 yards at the start but that`s easy with retrospect.
SimonDolan 6 months ago
is the grand national an international race?
MikePike5 10 months ago
@MikePike5 There have been Norwegian, Russian, Czechoslovakian and American runners before.
sachahuista 10 months ago
also what idiot jockeys. idc what anyone says. it was obvious it was void...WHY DIDNT A FALLEN OR DISMOUNTED JOCKEY WAVE A FLAG TO STP THEM?! THEY WOULD HAVE KNOW IT WASNT A HOAX THEN!
sidMGS 10 months ago
@sidMGS You serious?? A jockey walking around with a flag. Thatd be stupid mate
comeonshaymen 9 months ago
@comeonshaymen why?? its not stupid at all. if a Jockey someone they know and trust) was waving the flag to stop the race they would have done it instantly. The reason they didnt stop was because they thought it was protesters on the course. If they saw a fellow Jockey they would know 100% it wasnt fake. And is it really more stupid than this race being allowed to finish? no.
sidMGS 9 months ago
not being funny but isnt it amazing how few fallers there were. If it hadnt been void that would have been the real talking point, only 1 fell before the one after valentines...thats insane
sidMGS 10 months ago
so whats the story?
did everyone get a full refund?
MrStonecold69 10 months ago
...Quite simply...the biggest disgrace ever to be inflicted on British Horse Racing!..You may as well have put Laurel and Hardy in charge!...Look at that sorry old fart of a starter at 5.15 ....he couldnt even wave a flag properly!...The ineptitude of this man is now the stuff of legend!...Thank God, after this shambles, they made changes to this race and nothing like this ever happened again!
nealtracy 11 months ago
And despite all some competitors fell!
NickPatrick2 11 months ago
And despite all a competitor fell!
NickPatrick2 11 months ago
What a friggin disaster! The bookies made millions as few people bothered to reclaim their stake!
densaner77 11 months ago
@densaner77 actualy bookmakers paid back over £70 million in refunds on the race.
madabbafan 10 months ago
@madabbafan. Yeah but how many did not reclaim their stake? However many the bookies still made a profit they always do...
densaner77 10 months ago
I don't understand the point in declaring the race void. It seems pointless.
MobileChikane 11 months ago
why do they carry on commentating when it's declared void?
TheDevilDriver1993 11 months ago
@TheDevilDriver1993 The commentary on SIS didn't continue beyond the the Canal Turn the second time round, but the BBC stuck to it and did the right thing because no one - NO ONE - could be 100% certain that it WAS a void race at the time.
sachahuista 11 months ago 2
@sachahuista fair enough, some great coverage of this here
TheDevilDriver1993 11 months ago
i can't believe how long ago this is now
i know it is a void race but it was nice to see Romany king get up there again after the previous year too
i'm so glad that no one seriously hurt their selves in a void race though and that goes for the horses too
but every so often there always seems to be some incident with this\ race
i wonder what will happen this year
MYBIGKINDHEART 11 months ago
foreign runners had to have had 3 runs in britain to accord a handicap rating.
since the horse in question had not run enough times in england to give the handicapper enough evidence to assess the horses merit, it was automatic topweight for foreign runners.
i think it was from the czech republic quirinus ?
Katabatic77 11 months ago
Love John White's face after he realised it was void
741986paulallen 11 months ago
How was Quirinius top weight can someone tell me
741986paulallen 11 months ago
FUTURE WINNER Royal Athlete with Ben de Haan up
741986paulallen 11 months ago
amateur night
grincher2006 11 months ago
I love how he said they are slowing up at the canal turn when in fact it was the second fastest race ever (or not as the case may be)
LB1973 11 months ago
It never ceases to amaze me that they insist on using a tape to start a race that is over four and a half miles long ... they might as well introduce starting stalls, that's how ridiculous it is.
Just a white line painted across the grass, tell the jockeys not to cross the line until the starter shouts. If a horse is a bit behind the rest, what the hell difference does it make over this distance?
gary1961 1 year ago
@gary1961 Yes it certainly is very much a pointless waste of time having a bloody tape start as what advantage is anyone going to get without a tape start
MYBIGKINDHEART 11 months ago
"...and they're being waved past the chair... they're not going to jump it.... it isn't ..they are going to jump it!!" LOL
hernhillrebel 1 year ago
biggest mess-up of a horse race ever.
f1fantic1 1 year ago
1991 Gold Cup Winner- Garrison Savannah run in this.
f1fantic1 1 year ago
you know what the problem was, at the 2nd attempt to start them, at 05:02 the starter said 'all right come on' BEFORE he raised the tape, which made the jockey on the horse in white (number 33) anticipate the start before the tape went up. if it wasnt for that 1 horse catching its head on the tape, the race would have been ok. it was just so depressing, a miserable day with dull weather to match the mood but given how primitive the starting system was, its surprising it hadn't happened before.
Katabatic77 1 year ago
@Katabatic77 You're right, she reacted quicker than the other jockeys and unfortunately got her horse's head caught up in the tape but you are right about the tape, you would've thought after the first time they could've considered a flag start but with some of the mulish ones, it may not have worked
formulaonemad 1 year ago
the starter was definitely to blame in my opinion.
he mis timed saying 'come on' with activating the lever.
there was a delay in between those 2 events. he should have said 'come on' simultaneously with raising the tape.
i think the jeering and anxiety of the crowd got to him, and he was under pressure to get the thing under way and nerves affected his timing and judgement. he was distracted by the crowd and not fully concentrated, but it was obviously a pressure situation.
Katabatic77 1 year ago
@Katabatic77 Well the first time he did both actions together but the second time, you're right and as it was his last National starting the race, the occasion got to him and he made the biggest mistake of his career!
formulaonemad 1 year ago
I could not agree more with your comment on the BBC coverage. This is the first time I have seen the race since then and the situation still comes across as unbelievable.
tobin2 1 year ago
Thank you so much for sharing this! Muchly appreciated and I must agree, a wonderful job done by all three commentators but Sir Peter's comment about the runners being called back the first time is just haunting to hear knowing what happened next!
formulaonemad 1 year ago