A team of specially-trained Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty To Animals (RSPCA) equine inspectors will be attending the three day Grand National meeting this year, which takes place April 12-14 at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England. They will be joined the world famous course by an RSPCA superintendent, a chief inspector, and the RSPCA's equine consultant, David Muir.

Two horses were killed at the 2011 running of the famed British race. Several changes were made to the steeplechase course after the race in an attempt to promote safety among participants.

Chief Inspector Cathy Hyde, the RSPCA's national equine coordinator, said, "Our equine inspectors are passionate about horses. They are highly trained professionals with specialist equine knowledge, they all have horsey backgrounds and they know what they are talking about when it comes to welfare. "We will be at Aintree for racehorses' welfare. I'm proud to be heading a team of professional, experienced inspectors with a love of horses who will be making sure welfare is the real winner."

The equine inspectors will be at Aintree throughout the three-day meet in the run-up to the Grand National–widely regarded as the world's most testing jump race