Who are you backing in the grand national today?

[golla346]

I never choose the favourite I just look at the list of names and choose a couple that jump out at me. Today I’m going for Spanish Harlem and stellar story.

I'll be backing any attempts to ban this sick form of entertainment. It's only about money.

Panic Attack. EW though.

🙄

Care to expand?

None. Betting on Animal Cruelty is for arseholes.

Correct, that's why it will never be banned. Horse racing revenue is around £4 billion annually! An estimated 100,000 people are employed within the industry.

None. I bloody hate horse racing, it’s cruel.

What about showjumping/eventing?

Totally agree. Have you seen the state of some of the arseholes at Aintree? Not sure they even watch the racing as too busy getting pissed and stoned

You could also, and perhaps more pertinently, add dressage to that because it’s becoming a very welcome area of debate. Fortunately people are now able to record and speak out about abuses and challenge the accepted standards. What was accepted as the norm is becoming less so, as there’s more understanding about and interest in the natural behaviour of horses.

It’s hard for people in equine industries to accept that what they are doing, which has been done for centuries, is not in the horses’ best interests. It takes fresh eyes to see things differently. But the tide is turning and to their credit, people on the inside are beginning to change their understanding.

Yeah, Lady’s Day always makes me laugh! I always thought they were meant to make an effort!

Well this didn't go the way you wanted did it @golla346

If anyone shows any opposition to racing there are the invariable
"But they're treated like Royalty . Best care , Best Feed , Best Vets"
"But they get to retire as stud"
"But they LOVE to race , when a horse throws its jockey they keep running"
"I assume you're vegan"

We can assume they are treated well but they are backed ridiculously early , sometimes running as yearlings . They get the food and the vets because how else would they keep racing ? They need to protect the investment .
Only a tiny % will retire to stud . There's no point breeding a horse with no proven record . And they take the semen to inseminate so one stallion can produce 100s of foals .
And DON'T Google what the mare has to go throw to give birth , it is due to the shape of the pelvis . It made me heave .
They run because they are herd animals , they aren't running for the hell of it , they run because they desperately want to keep up with their herd . The other horses . Even injured they will run.
I'm not a Vegan , but I am vegetarian , but that has no bearing .

I won't watch it .
I certainly won't bet .
I remember Celebre D'Allen .
His death was horrendous , he was all over the place and should've been withdrawn.
Broadway Boy had a dreadful fall but survived it .

And after everyone saying how safe it was , the tragic death of UpForReview broke that trend in 2019 .

Still fancy a bet ?

Can’t wait til 4pm. Off to Costco now to get all the buffet food, kids have picked their horses and the sun is out 🐎

No doubt all the virtue signallers here will be tuning in too, frothing and getting yourselves in such a tizzy.

Wow

The wastage of young horses in the racing industry is horrific. I won't be supporting it.

Agree, it should be banned. It's cruel and I'm absolutely against using animals as a commodity.

I used to bet on this but been hearing about a lot of racehorses dying during or after races lately and I am just not interested anymore.

I’m not. Never have, or will.

Knock yourself out then .
Have your day in the sun ( or on the motorway if you're off to Costco)

There's really nothing more that is going to convince you is there ?

I know parts of Spain still do BullFights so why not book yourself a holiday with your winnings ?

Do you genuinely not care at all about the horses that die for your entertainment?

No way will I be supporting horse racing.

I was ignorant enough to go to the races at Cheltenham, years ago. The place was full of utter twats. I stupidly placed a bet on a horse called Lush Life. He was killed in the race. All these years later, and I still find the memory upsetting. Knowing that horses die in training and racing all the time is just awful.

Associating yourself with racing is just thoroughly embarrassing, imho.

No one on the thread is virtue signalling, they are just stating their opinions.

Yuck

Enjoy the carnage

Oh don't be so stupid. Do you honestly think those of us who hate horse racing with a vengeance would actually watch the awful race on tv?

Hope you and your children enjoy seeing those poor horses forced to race and having the privilege of being whipped.