The 2023 event got off to a slow start, as animal rights protestors caused chaos the race outside the track at Aintree.

Animal Rising had threatened to disrupt the world’s most prestigious and famous steeplechase, which was scheduled for a 5:15pm start initially.

Protestors breached security fences around the Liverpool venue and ran onto the course.

Addressing the incident, former champions jockey Tony McCoy branded the group ‘attention seekers’.

He told ITV Sport: ‘They are attention seekers. If these people had that much care for horses… they have never been to stables.

Protestors caused the race to be delayed

Animal Rising were escorted off the tracks by police

‘They have no real understanding of the horses and how well they get looked after.’

He continued: ‘These people don’t want anything explained to them. They have their own minds made up and that is the sad thing about it.

‘I don’t think we should have to justify it to any of these people because they don’t deserve it.’

However, the comments didn’t go down well with audiences at home, with fellow jockey Peter Scudamore also arguing that the protestors ‘affected the welfare of the horses’.

‘I wish people would see the care the stable staff give to these horses,’ he said.

‘The ITV presenters at the Grand National banging on about how well the horses are looked after in their stables might just be missing the point’, one person tweeted.

Three horses are confirmed to have died

There have long been calls for better safety at the annual event

‘It was disgraceful’, a follower agreed, while another wrote: ‘My god why aren’t people seeing what the real problem is?’

‘Shocking coverage by ITV regarding the protests. They even said ‘football is dangerous, rugby is dangerous’. The total lack of acknowledgement that horses DIE at the grand national festival is despicable. Shame on you and your coverage ITV ‘, another blasted.

Defending the protestors, one individual added: ‘2 horses have died at aintree before the grand National has even happened & itv commentators here are saying it’s inexcusable that there are protestors ? Some people don’t want horses to die ? They have a right to protest’.

On the other hand, others argued that the horses are well looked after and have a ‘fantastic life’.

The complaints come as it’s been confirmed three horses have died at this year’s National.

Amid calls for stricter safety measures, ITV News confirmed Envoye Special, who was being ridden by James King, was assessed by vets on the track, but sustained a fatal injury.

The horse died after falling in the Foxhunters’ Chase just after 4pm on Thursday (April 13).

A second horse, Dark Raven, died on the final day of the Grand National on Saturday (April 15).

It was later confirmed that Hill Sixteen broke his neck during an early fall in the main event.

Envoye Special was the 60th horse to have died at the Aintree Festival in the past 23 years.

Four horses died at Aintree Festival in 2022, including two during the Grand National.