Racing: Grand National: Rulers launch inquiry

RACING'S ruling body, the Jockey Club, launched an immediate inquiry into yesterday's chaos at Aintree.

The inquiry will be staged at the club's headquarters at Portman Square, in London, although the authority's spokesman, David Pipe, said its exact nature had yet to be decided. 'The stewards will wish to look into the technical failures, but as to where the blame lies I'm not sure how the procedure will work,' he said.

He said preliminary investigations had already been put into progress immediately after the 'race'.

'The Aintree stewards have held a comprehensive inquiry and evidence has been taken from four jockeys, the starter, ground staff, and the recall man,' he said.

Aintree's chairman, Peter Greenall, last night virtually ruled out rerunning the race. 'Discussions are in progress with the sponsors Martell, the Jockey Club and the BBC about possibilities of rerunning the race, but I must say I think it is a small chance,' he said. 'It is a very complicated event to stage, and there are a lot of issues that have to be taken into account. It will take us some time.

'The November meeting would be a consideration, but cancelling the race completely is the most obvious solution. It takes us a year to prepare for it, it's a world event.'