This Saturday, 600 million viewers are expected to tune in to watch The Grand National. Horse racing is the second biggest spectator sport in the UK, and Aintree’s most famous race – in fact, Britain’s most famous race – will be screened in every corner of the globe. £300 million of bets will be placed on the race, and thousands of office sweepstakes organised.
What about the jockeys riding round the course? It’s safe to say that being a jump jockey is one of the most dangerous jobs – or certainly one of the most injury-prone jobs – out there. Just look at the fact that Bryony Frost – the star of the Cheltenham Festival who became the first woman to win a Group One race over jumps at the meeting – is currently out of action, after breaking her collarbone the week after Cheltenham.
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