Becher's Brook water jump fence, Grand National, Aintree, 1938

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One of the most dangerous jumps in horse racing, Becher's Brook fence (a water jump) at Aintree (near Liverpool, England) took its name from Captain Martin Becher, who fell there from his mount, Conrad, in the first official Grand National in 1839, and took shelter in the brook to avoid injury. Since then, many horses have been put down as a result of injuries at this fence and it has become a cause célèbre championed by animal rights activists. The jump originally consisted of an 8ft-wide brook with a fence set back a yard in front of the water, the ground on the landing side 3ft lower than the take-off side. Some jockeys have compared it to "jumping off the edge of the world".

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Size: 5915px × 4334px
Location: Becher's Brook, Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, England
Photo credit: © Osman Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1938, aintree, becher, bravery, brook, fate, fence, fortune, grand, horse, jump, landing, national, race, scary