Bloodied racegoers pictured fighting at Aintree ahead of Grand National on day that belonged to Jonbon
A group of spectators were pictured brawling at Aintree just a day before the Grand National.
The iconic race begins at 4pm, live on talkSPORT on Saturday afternoon, with thousands of fans flocking to Liverpool’s iconic racecourse to see it live and millions more around the world.
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However, on a day that should have belonged to Jonbon, a minority were seen retreating in front of shocked spectators to watch the second day’s racing.
The cause of the fight remains unknown, but one person can be seen grabbing the tie of another, with punches.
On the track, Jonbon was at his best during the Melling Chase, which saw Nicky Henderson try and fail to hold back tears in some wonderful scenes.
The focus, however, will be on the Grand National, where Corach Rambler is aiming for back-to-back wins and following in the footsteps of Tiger Roll and Red Rum.
I Am Maximus, Vanillier and Nassalam are just three of the main contenders for victory, along with former champion Noble Yeats.
“We’ve spent 12 months celebrating him and, if he can win again, he’ll really go down in the history books,” coach Lucinda Russell said.
After a security check, the number of runners was reduced from 40 to 34 and the famous race will begin at 4 p.m.
Last year’s race was disrupted by activist group Animal Rising, which forced the start to be delayed by 15 minutes while 118 people were arrested.
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Security has been increased and the group says it will not disrupt the race this year. However, race participants who drop out will certainly be dealt with given the warning given before the start of the week.
“Anti-social behavior, hate crime, disorder and other criminal activity will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly,” police said.
“There will be armed officers and plainclothes officers to ensure this event is safe and enjoyable.”
talkSPORT will have full coverage of the Grand National at Aintree, with Rupert Bell and Lizzie Kelly commentating on the showpiece race.
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