Starter of Aintree Grand National oncourse at Gore

"Everybody [in the UK] stops to watch the Grand National, whether you're interested in it or not."

United Kingdom race starter Robbie Supple at the Gore Cup meeting recently. His daughter Noelle is the Otago Racing Club's general manager and a daughter-in-law of Wingatui trainer Steven Prince. Robbie helped Steven with his five-horse team at the Gore meeting. Photo: JAMIE SEARLE

• Jamie Searle is a longtime Southland racing writer. For more of his work, you can head to the Southland Thoroughbreds Facebook page.

One of the spectators at the Gore Cup meeting recently was the starter of the famous English Grand National Steeplechase.

Robbie Supple and wife Shona have been staying for most of their three-week holiday with their daughter and son-in-law, Noelle and Blake Prince, in North Taieri. Noelle is general manager of the Otago Racing Club.

The Supples plan to attend the Karaka sales before flying out of Auckland in the early hours of Monday bound for their home at Towcester, one and a-half hours by road from London.

Robbie Supple has been starting races in the United Kingdom for 21 years, including the last nine Grand National Steeplechases at Aintree. He will again be starting the 7200-metre (4.5 miles) race in April.

There has been up to 40 runners in past Nationals, but 34 will compete this year.

The Grand National had a massive following, just like Australia's Melbourne Cup, Supple said.

"Everybody [in the UK] stops to watch the Grand National, whether you're interested in it or not."

Before becoming a starter Supple was a jockey, mostly over jumps. His riding record was just under 400 wins over jumps and four wins on the flat.

He rode in six Grand Nationals with his best placing being a third in 2000. His ride in the 1997 National was delayed when a bomb scare oncourse saw the race postponed from Saturday to Monday.   

Robbie Supple, right, during his days as a jockey geared up to ride in the 1997 Grand National Steeplechase at Aintree. The photo was taken just after an announcement was made oncourse saying there was a bomb threat and people had to leave the track. Next to Supple in the photo is his brother Gerry.

Supple is one of 17 starters in the UK. They work in pairs sharing duties at race meetings. The starters do not load horses into the barrier. 

Some New Zealand starters occasionally help with loading. 

The stalls teams (known in NZ as barrier attendants) are each made up of 11 workers. They load the horses into the barrier and are employed by a different organisation to the starters. The stalls teams' employer also provides the photo finish operators at race meetings.

The 17 starters officiate at tracks in England, Scotland and Wales. Racing is held virtually every day in the UK. Usually four meetings a day during the week and five or six on Saturdays and Sundays.

Supple officiates at 200 race meetings a year.  

The starters have a racehorse data bank.

"We keep information on horses, like if a horse needs a blindfold, a barrier rug, needs a push to go in or if they're a kicker," he said.

Robbie Supple prepares to start a Grand National Steeplechase race at Aintree in England.

The starters share their horse information with stewards before race meetings begin. 

Supple was the starter of the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2012 - won in a thrilling finish by champion Australian mare Black Caviar.

A lot of jockeys in Britain warm up on race day by going for a run around the track they will be riding on, Supple said.

During his career as a jumps jockey Tony McCoy joined a football team for their training sessions to help keep his fitness at a high level. He also did his own fitness work. 

Supple knew of a jockey who ran in marathons as part of his fitness programme.

"They have to keep fit to keep up with those they're riding against," Supple said of the jockeys.