Canal Turn

Canal Turn is a fence jumped during the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, England.

It is negotiated twice during the race - as the eighth fence and the twenty-fourth fence.

The fence is notable for the sharp left-hand turn that the runners have to take as soon as they have negotiated the fence. The turn is almost 90 degrees and it is not uncommon for jockeys to become unbalanced as they change course. Both unseatings and falls are quite common at the fence.

Canal Turn has been the scene of a number of incidents that have had a major impact upon the outcome of the Grand National.

In the 1928 Grand National, the favourite Easter Hero fell into the ditch which at the time preceded the fencecite journal
author = BBC News
title=Grand National 2000
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/sport/2000/grand_national/course/8_24.stm
accessdate = 2008-01-05
format = HTML ] cite journal
author = You Tube
title=1928 Grand National
url = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN0CxjXqPuE&feature=related
accessdate = 2008-01-05
format = HTML ] (this was filled in following the race). This fall caused all but 7 of the field to fall, leaving just 2 horses by the final fence. Billy Barton refused at the last, leaving the 100/1 outsider Tipperary Tim to finish alone. (Billy Barton did remount to pick up the second placed prize money).

In the 2001 Grand National the riderless Paddy's Return ran in front of the field as they approached the fence. This caused a number of horses to be stopped in their tracks or brought down. In total nine of the field were taken out of the race; these included Amberleigh House who was to win the race in 2004.

References