Independent TV
Showing now | Sport
![Jockey Club director explains Grand National changes following safety concerns](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/bYu3vQlr/poster.jpg?width=720)
00:39
Grand National: Jockey Club director explains three major changes following safety concerns
Three major safety changes have been made to this year’s Grand National.
Dickon White from The Jockey Club revealed more details about the three “fundamental” changes that have been made ahead of Saturday’s event.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast today (11 April), Mr White said: “The first involves the first fence. We looked at that and wanted to reduce the speed of the horses jumping the fence and we have actually picked the fence up and moved it nearer to the start.”
Mr White also revealed how the maximum field size of runners has been reduced from 40 to 34 this year.
The start time of the race has also been brought forward to 4pm “to ensure optimum racing conditions”.
Up next
![Gérard Mestrallet on the challenges of bringing infrastructure to the region of AlUla](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/EWX1dt85/poster.jpg?width=320)
01:51
Gérard Mestrallet on the challenges of bringing infrastructure to the region of AlUla
![Sir George Iacobescu, chairman of the Canary Wharf Group on the investment into the historic region of AlUla](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/LSvQ5SQ1/poster.jpg?width=320)
02:07
Sir George Iacobescu, chairman of the Canary Wharf Group on the investment into the historic region of AlUla
![Oliver Ripley of sustainable hotel group Habitas talks about how AlUla challenged his preconceptions of Saudi Arabia](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/ADCX8FkA/poster.jpg?width=320)
02:00
Oliver Ripley of sustainable hotel group Habitas talks about how AlUla challenged his preconceptions of Saudi Arabia
![Thomas Kaplan of wild cat conservation charity Panthera on the mission to save the Arabian Leopard](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/mJh5g24R/poster.jpg?width=320)
02:09