I READ Tony Rushbrooke's letter (April 19) with interest. The Grand National has absolutely nothing to do with fate as he suggested; it is a proven cruel and barbaric sport. The Grand National is deliberately hazardous and as he must know 35 horses have died since 2000.

It also mustn't be forgotten that many horses are bred deliberately to compete and some that simply don't make the mark are destroyed. I think this demonstrates how horse racing is purely money-orientated and to believe otherwise would be naive.

He spoke about the horse that made a bid for freedom and subsequently died, and then in the next breath wrote about this 'great sporting spectacle'! I have to ask; does he have no heart? He doesn't mind watching horses being forced to race with the chance of seeing one or two or maybe more die? Just because he gains enjoyment from watching them! In my mind, that makes him no better than an individual who shoots a horse rather than put it out to pasture because it will never be a winner.

How dare he speak of 'plain bad luck' when animals die just for spectators' pleasure and money. When does it become right for tradition and gaining money to equal the death of these beautiful creatures?

As he calls them, 'calamities' — they needn't happen on any course if such a cruel sport was banned.

I wonder as to why he bothered to write such a dismissive and heartless letter if not to inflame an animal rights campaigner like myself but I can add this; he says there are some things you just can't legislate for; I feel there are, or at least I wish there were: to allow horses to run free as and when they wish and to gather groups of people that stop individuals having a voice when that voice is so uncaring and encourages cruelty to animals.

Rebecca Mansell

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