Animal Rising, the eco-group, responsible for animal rights demonstrations at the Grand National last weekend has vowed to unleash chaos ahead of the Summer racing season.

Following the mayhem at Aintree where 118 protestors were arrested, worries have circulated that Royal Ascot and Epsom Derby could be the next target for the animal rights group.

Their disruption caused the race to be delayed by 15 minutes whilst activists fixed themselves to the fences.

It was said by trainer Sandy Thompson that the delay in proceedings caused the animals distress which he believes led to more falls compared to previous years at the Grand National.

The group tweeted: 'This week has been just the beginning of Animal Rising, it's all up from here.

'This summer is going to be an unmissable opportunity to shine a spotlight on our treatment of animals, our relationship to nature and the world around us, and to start talking about how we can rebuild these relationships, creating a kind and safe world for all life.'

Sandy Thompson, the trainer of the horse Hill Sixteen, who passed away following a fall at the first hurdle has blamed ‘ignorant’ protesters for the delay, contributing to what happened at the first two fences.

The training told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'If we look at the last nine years since the course has been modified, there's been an average of under two fallers at the first two fences and this year everybody got very uptight about it - horses, jockeys, starters - and there were eight fallers at those first two fences.

'This was all caused by these so-called animal lovers who actually are ignorant and have absolutely no idea about welfare of horses.'

Speaking about how the sport could become safer, Mr Thomson said: 'Two of the considerations - a shorter run to the first fence and a few less horses - those are obvious things that may be considered.

'There have been huge changes in the whip rule, which has made a huge effect - last year's winner would have been disqualified under the new rules, so we as a sport are continually moving forward and trying to make the sport safer.

'The figures of people watching are surely a huge indication of where public perception is about the Grand National.'

Following the death of Hill Sixteen, Animal Rising cited the deaths of more than 49 horses who have died in the UK in horse racing events so far this year alone.

They said: 'We didn't cause those deaths and we haven't caused any today.' 

RSPCA policy director Emma Slawinski spoke to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme saying: 'One of the things we particularly see at the Grand National is a very big field, so lots of horses running together. 

'That, of course, causes issues when horses fall and can get in the way of other horses, and cause accidents in that way.

'The other thing that we think needs to change very urgently is to see an end of the use of the whip for encouragement - hitting the horses to make them run faster.

'We know that that actually causes more accidents, it makes accidents more likely, makes injuries more likely, so we'd like to see that reform happen as well.'