The utmost variety of runners within the Nationwide was lower to 34 from 40 following a security evaluate and 32 runners went to publish after two withdrawals.
A standing begin to sluggish runners down going to the primary was amongst different modifications.
These got here after Hill Sixteen suffered a deadly damage in final yr’s race, which was delayed by 14 minutes after animal rights activists entered the monitor.
All these modifications have cemented the altering nature of the Grand Nationwide – 21 of the 32 horses accomplished the race, and there have been no fallers, with 4 horses unseating their riders and 7 pulled up.
The course is less complicated to barter, much less of a lottery – this was the primary time since 1894 the favorite, or joint favorite, gained successive editions.
Whereas two horses died over the three-day assembly, there have been no equine fatalities within the large race and two different contests over the Nationwide fences.
There was drama from the beginning, with final yr’s winner Corach Rambler unseating jockey Derek Fox on the first fence.
And the quantity of contenders within the latter levels of the second circuit nonetheless offered loads of pleasure and intrigue.
“What was nice to observe was the house all the riders gave one another,” two-time Nationwide-winning jockey Ruby Walsh instructed ITV.
“I do approve of the modifications and Aintree have put a number of work into it.”
