TWO fatalities have led to the Grand National coming under scrutiny once again.

The tragic fates of Synchronised and According To Pete – who for fairly obvious reasons was my choice for a fiver on the nose – have led to those who want health and safety to be paramount pushing for further changes to the race.

While it is impossible to condone any kind of suffering of our equine friends taking part, it is a little difficult to see where the race organisers can go with this one.

Having already cut the numbers in the race and the severity of some jumps, it seems inevitable that pressure for more changes will be exerted.

The problem is that it is the increased risk element involved in the Grand National that earned the race its reputation.

Cut the numbers in the field, reduce the distance run and remove the ‘drop’ fences, where horse lands lower than the take-off, and what you have is just another jumps race – leaving a National that is anything but grand.

It would appear to be straight choice between biting the bullet and staying as we are or doing away with the race altogether.