THE Grand National must be made safer following the "tragic" deaths of two horses in the world's greatest steeplechase, a Cabinet minister said today.

Quizzed at Westminster, Sports Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the public had been "shocked" by the gruesome sight of the horses - Dooney's Gate and Ornais - which broke their backs in falls, last month.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHSA) ordered a review into whether safety should be tightened up at Liverpool's Aintree Racecourse and will publish its findings in October.

But Mr Hunt appeared to pre-empt that review, when he said: "Racing is the second most popular sport in the country after football, in terms of attendances, It's incredibly important.

"I think that what happened at the Grand National really shocked a lot of people. Anyone would say that we need to find a better way of making sure that those kind of tragedies don't happen."

The comments follow calls for Mr. Hunt's department to intervene with the BHSA and Anita, to ensure measures are taken to make the famous race less lethal.

One Labour MP compared the treatment of horses in the Grand National to that of elephants in a circus, which were forced to "prance around on their back legs." Twenty horses have been killed since 2000.

But any major changes would trigger protests from race-lovers, who would argue the great spectacle of the Grand National was under threat.

Aintree has insisted that "safety is the first priority", for runners and riders. Many attributed the two deaths last month to the freakish heat.

A spokeswoman for the racecourse said: "The BHSA is reviewing all elements what happened in this year's race, to see whether any measures need to be put in place on the grounds of safety."