The fences at Aintree are notorious to say the least. Safety is made a priority every year and it does seem to be having an effect but the nature of the game is, the higher the fences, the more likely it is that you'll have less horses finishing the race.
Take, for example, the Topham Chase on the first day of this year's Grand National meeting. Thirty went to post, and ten crossed the finish line. One non-finisher was the Venetia Williams trained Bennys Hill, the mount of Irish jockey Aidan Coleman.
Coleman was unseated during the race when his horse failed to make a jump as a result of a loose horse in the field. Both horse and rider were fine and thankfully we have this brilliant Channel 4 footage courtesy of Debbie Burt.
The Irish jockey actually ends up directly underneath the fence and the view of the horses leaping over him is rather surreal. As is the calmness in his voice as he asks can he get up yet.
Great footage, particularly Coleman's embrace with Bennys Hill at the end of the video.
Aidan Coleman jockey cam on Channel 4 from yesterday's Topham at Aintree
Posted by Debbie Burt on Saturday, April 11, 2015
[Examiner]
