EXCITEMENT is starting to build for the two biggest occasions in the National Hunt season as the Cheltenham Festival is followed by the Grand National at Aintree.

The greatest show on turf divides opinion with some people demanding to see racing banned.

Others are more pragmatic and say that horses will always run no matter what happens.

But what do you think?

Is horse racing cruel or is it a part of the heritage of these shores and something that should be treasured.