Talk:2012 Grand National

Synchronised
There are somewhat conflicting reports regarding how and where Sychronised was fatally injured. He certainly fell at Becher's and the BHA have said he suffered a fractured leg, but it is not inherently clear where and how he suffered the fracture. The Guardian are reporting that he "did not appear to suffer serious injury" at Becher's but then "broke down while running loose". Until an official report from Aintree or the BHA I don't think we should explicitally blame Becher's Brook for Synchronised's death in this article. --TBM10 (talk) 10:39, 15 April 2012 (UTC)
 * Indeed. I've seen reports that he pulled up at the 9th, and others say the 11th. On watching it, I think he jumped the 11th and pulled up quickly on landing. I doubt he ran so far from Becher's with a fractured leg, and you're right that we have no idea that Becher's was the cause. The fracture could have occurred at any point between Becher's and the point at which he pulled up, and it seems likely to have been nearer the end of his run. Bretonbanquet (talk) 10:49, 15 April 2012 (UTC)
 * The BBC are reporting he ran on riderless until the 11th where he suffered the fracture. If this is indeed the case, its unfortunate the Grand National is (once again) getting so much negative press. --TBM10 (talk) 11:00, 15 April 2012 (UTC)
 * Yes, that's how I saw it too. But of course we get the usual people who, once a year, suddenly care about horses and want to see it all banned. It's a shame they don't have anything to say about all the real horse cruelty that goes on all year round, in fields all over the country. Bretonbanquet (talk) 11:09, 15 April 2012 (UTC)
 * You also get the half-truth every year that a broken leg cannot be mended. In fact they can be. But it takes time and costs money. Most of all, the horse can no longer race - hence it is 'easier' to have the horse put down. That-a-way the insurance pays out too! OldSquiffyBat (talk) 18:18, 16 April 2012 (UTC)
 * I'd say most can't be fixed. I've seen horses in agony with half-fixed fractures or resultant laminitis, and vets will generally advise against it, regardless of the cost factor. Any owner worth his salt would have insurance that pays out for injuries (including broken legs) anyway, so cost shouldn't be a factor. That's not to say that it's impossible to satisfactorily mend a broken leg, though it's fraught with difficulties. Bretonbanquet (talk) 18:26, 16 April 2012 (UTC)
 * This is with racehorses of course - a relatively sturdy riding school horse could pick up a simple or incomplete fracture and, with prompt attention, make a full recovery. But a racehorse which has fallen, sustained a complete or compound fracture, then tried to stand again or continue running, might very likely have incurred serious muscle or ligament damage from broken bone pieces, and this kind of thing is irreparable. Racehorses are more fragile than most horses, sadly, and also many do not have the temperament to cope with the treatment and the lengthy periods of immobility. Bretonbanquet (talk) 18:40, 16 April 2012 (UTC)
 * Plus, it depends on which bone is broken - a broken pastern is much easier to repair than a fractured humerus. Bretonbanquet (talk) 18:45, 16 April 2012 (UTC)


 * Shall we add "(later euthanised)" to the Non-finishers table? Though this information is discussed in the article, the tables are, in my case, the first thing I looked to. LukeSurlt c 23:34, 16 April 2012 (UTC)
 * I don't think its necessary to add those details to the table, partly for consistency purposes and partly because the deaths receive a lot of coverage elsewhere in the article. They are mentioned in the lead, explained in the Race Overview, and given more attention in the Reactions sections. Also I don't want to mislead readers into thinking Synchronised was euthanised because he fell at the 6th fence, which is what it'd look like if we added "(later euthanised)" to the table. Thanks. --TBM10 (talk) 08:02, 17 April 2012 (UTC)

Finish image
Cant we have an image of the photo finish, or does the event licensing prevent that? Fig (talk) 09:37, 16 April 2012 (UTC)