Grand National 2012: a day of drama and despair at Aintree as Neptune Collonges wins race by a nose It was a tragic outcome, too, for Synchronised's trainer Jonjo O'Neill, who, as a jockey in the race in 1979, was riding another Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Alverton when the horse fell at Becher's and had to be put down. When asked if Synchronised should have been allowed to take part in the race after his pre-race problems, Thick said that the senior vet at the meeting had examined the horse and decided he was sound. According to Pete also broke a leg, falling at Becher's on his second circuit around the course. Two other horses, Weird Al and Killyglen, also needed treatment for injuries while one jockey, Noel Fehily, broke his ankle in a fall from State of Play. Tony Moore, of Fight against Cruelty to All Animals, said: "I am not surprised that the horses have died, but I am still shocked. Synchronised fell at Becher's, one of the fences that had been worked on in an attempt to make them safer. We feel these fences are like walls with duvets over them. David Muir, the RSPCA equine consultant, said any number of deaths was "unacceptable" but added a ban was not the answer. I would be accused of ruining the Grand National but what I want to do is get more horses back to the stable with all four legs in tact, he said. The race ended with an epic duel which saw Daryl Jacob guiding the 33-1 shot Neptune Collonges to the narrowest victory and effectively sealing the trainers" championship for Paul Nicholls, who was finally saddling a National winner for the first time in 53 attempts. Katie Walsh became the best-ever placed woman finisher as joint favourite Seabass came home third but her big brother Ruby Walsh missed the race after taking a fall earlier in the afternoon.