IN BRIEF : Becher’s Brook Fence to Be Altered

Becher’s Brook, the feared Grand National fence where eight horses have been killed in the last 21 years, will be modified before next year’s running of the famous steeplechase.

Prompted by a public outcry over the deaths of two horses at Becher’s in this year’s race, officials of Britain’s Jockey Club said the changes will make the fence safer for riders and horses without loss of its intrinsic difficulty.

Under the project, the landing side of the fence will be altered to level off the acute backward slope that pulls horses into a ditch if they land short. The depth of the water-filled ditch will be reduced by 30 inches, and new running rails will be installed on the landing side so that horses can jump straight ahead and not be forced to veer across their rivals.