Home | Friday 28th March 2008 | Issue 626

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NAGGING DOUBTS

The Grand National at Aintree is on from April 3rd-5th. While it is the sort of spectacle that brings out yer weekend punter for a casual flutter, it's not actually just a bit of harmless fun. In fact the steeplechase race has killed thirty five horses in the past decade, with three ‘destroyed’ last year alone. The gruelling course – one of the most difficult in the world - involves sixteen fences, and often only ten of the forty horses competing actually finish the race.

This is part of a horse racing industry which breeds horses searching for ‘winners’, with the rest mostly destined for the abattoir. Around 420 racehorses are killed every year, with 160 dying during or immediately after a race – killed due to leg or spinal injuries, heart attacks, burst blood vessels or exhaustion amongst other causes.

Fight Against Animal Cruelty in Europe (FAACE) and Animal Aid are holding a demo at Aintree, calling for a ban on the Grand National, on April 3rd – meet 11am opposite the main entrance to Aintree Racecourse, Ormskirk Rd, north Liverpool, in front of the Aintree railway station. This event is being held during Horse Riding Awareness Week

See also www.animalaid.org.uk/racing, email action@faace.co.uk

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