grand national grand national known sponsorship reasons renewal world famous horse race held near liverpool england began april final day day annual meeting maximum permitted field runners competed prize money totalling record making highest valued national hunt race united_kingdom nineteen participants completed course suffered fatal falls circuit debates safety event irish horse won race securing place prize money win trainer son time winning trainer owned ridden irish jockey sent odds pairing completed race minutes seconds second fastest time history race card february released names horses submitted enter including irish trained french trained horses trained including leading contender handled irish trainer trainer year winner leading contender trained son trained national victories 1970s returned winner contenders withdrawn second deadline march horses remained list weight handicap allocated year winner don push official odds march placed trained favourite backstage given joint second favourite odds day deadline april second left total contenders running compete sister winner female jockey ride grand national amateur lined compete official odds favourite midnight club cut friend replaced joint second favourite backstage odds april declared final confirmed list runners reserves follows reserves replace prior april reserves required rode noir original jockey withdrew injury sustained race day prior national finishing order year old led race eventually saw strong run challenge amateur jockey secured second place winner don push lengths second favourite mistake fence finished sixth state play year old shot trained finished successive national nineteen runners completed course including shots highest number finishers horses passed finishing post non finishers horses fell race riders brought pulled outsider santa son led field canal turn short distance runner eventually fell contention jockey pulled 27th fence fell 27th having close leader beginning second circuit gate suffered fatal falls circuit incurred fracture fourth fence plain inch obstacle gate fractured fence significant modifications recent years including improving facilities reducing severity fences notable change highlighted race course widened allow fences bypassed necessary remaining contenders second circuit approached 20th fence waving flags signalled bypass outside body covered landing jumps later diverted time famous staff attended gate time modern course finalised 1880s fences jumped broadcasting status event significant national interest united_kingdom listed code sports listed designated events race covered live free air terrestrial television bbc aired race radio consecutive year television 52nd year presented bbc television coverage supported retired jockey broadcast bbc second year national winning provided expert analysis betting news provided providing spectators programme place taken minute replacement present aired prior national race commentary team led called winner home 14th consecutive year supported streamed viewers bbc online aired race presented bbc later received criticism failing mention deaths gate end broadcast spokesman later said race run fatalities covered sensitivity possible quotes selected quotes participating speaking race 1st loved got relaxed helped trip 2nd plan come smooth run knew huge jump trying pop little bit save keen asked don push 3rd ran great race credit horse little bit early got little bit low couple fences late energy state play 4th incredible horse little bit slower year time catching couldn lay pace ground probably little slower ideal fabulous horse 5th ran absolute given tremendous ride king 11th horse ran bit slow earlier nearly got brought jumped like ideal spin year 14th ground bit quick character building 15th nearly brought race fell 4th fence jumped fence fine landed bit steep horse time right place maybe come try rider 24th keen early starting switched came canal turn got close tipped comply die pulled 28th race got tired getting younger special horse nice think ended course achieved finest hour aftermath unusually warm sunny weather conditions credited helping meeting set attendance record crowd people attended main saturday race day total attended course day meeting beating previous record set major event particularly united_kingdom estimated million said placed race including far australia bermuda british troops afghanistan joining estimated nearly half adult population race received significant negative media coverage fatalities publicly noticeable prior nationals fences bypassed time watching race television given clear views covered body fourth fence aerial shot showed staff attending fatally injured gate remaining runners diverted director animal rights group called outright ban saying deliberately hazardous challenging lethal event consultant stated horses died look element management jump contributed happened look landing evidence suggests trying race better safer thing eliminate risk going add way going national banned managing director said desperately sad accidents running today thoughts connections gate best horses best allowed enter horses inspected arrive ensure fit race year horse fences inspect course course ground staff ground repair staff work closely animal welfare organisations sure date latest thinking research sure horses looked properly race run safely possible veteran trainer suggestion reducing size fences aftermath race said don things better making easier speed damage champion jockey defended national saying personally don think sport better shape horses owner later said think situation totally wrong national hunt racing safer single sport goes son france unfortunately accident walk don enjoy sport winning jockey subsequently handed day ban excessive use whip horse trainer indicated likely return national seeking wins red thought season revolve national december
2011 Grand National