The 1993 Grand National (officially the Martell Grand National Chase Handicap Grade 3) was scheduled on 3 April 1993 to be the 147th running of the Grand National horse race, held annually at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England.
It was the first and so far only time that the steeplechase was declared void, after 30 of the 39 runners began and carried on racing despite there having been a false start. Seven of the field even went on to complete the course, with Esha Ness crossing the finishing post first, in what would have been the second-fastest time.
The Jockey Club decided not to re-run the race, and as a result it has often been called "the race that never was". Bookmakers were forced to refund an estimated £75 million in bets staked. The Jockey Club launched an inquiry which led to a number of changes in the starting and recall procedures in future races.
Circumstances
False start
The meeting at Aintree had been beset by problems before the race. Fifteen animal rights protesters invaded the course near the first fence (as had also happened at the 1991 Grand National) resulting in a delayed start. A first false start was caused by several riders becoming tangled in the starting tape. Starter Keith Brown, who was officiating his last National before retirement, waved his red recall flag and a second official, Ken Evans, who was situated 100 yards further down the track, in turn signalled to the leading runners to turn around. At the second attempt, the tape became tangled again – around the neck of jockey Richard Dunwoody – and Brown called another false start. However, this time his recall flag did not unfurl as he waved it. As a result, 30 of the 39 riders set off around the track, oblivious to the recall.
First circuit
Officials, trainers and the crowd tried desperately to halt the race, but the majority of the field continued racing. By the Becher's Brook (the sixth fence) only one of the 30 still competing had fallen: outsider Farm Week at the fourth, who hampered David's Duky in the process.
Royal Athlete had gained popularity with the public after finishing third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and was sent to post at 17/2, providing Ben de Haan, the 1983 winning jockey, with his 11th and final ride in the race. He fell at Valentine's (the ninth).
One fence later, outsider Senator Snugfit fell. The BBC's commentary team, consisting of Peter O'Sullevan, John Hanmer and Jim McGrath continued to describe proceedings, periodically reminding viewers that "it's got to be a void race".
It was not until the water jump – the final fence of the first circuit – that many riders became aware of the situation and pulled up, including champion jockey Peter Scudamore on Captain Dibble, Garrison Savannah, and Zeta's Lad, who was widely considered by tipsters as the form horse in the field, having raced unbeaten in his five starts that season, including beating Romany King in the Racing Post Chase at Kempton two months prior. Most of the horses at the rear were pulled up too, including Stay on Tracks, David's Duky, Direct, Mister Ed and the tailed-off Quirinus.
Captain Dibble was the Scottish Grand National winner in 1992 and vied for favouritism for the Grand National until a few days before the race. Scudamore had turned down a host of competitors to take the ride in his 13th National, and the pair were sent off at 9/1. Scudamore saw trainer Martin Pipe waving at him near the water jump to stop. The jockey had never won the National in his previous 12 attempts, and retired from racing a short time later.
Party Politics, who won the 1992 Grand National with partner Carl Llewellyn, was also pulled up after the water jump when in a good position. Since his Aintree victory the previous April he had run unimpressively in two chases without Llewellyn in the saddle before they were reunited to win the Greenhalls Gold Cup at Haydock in February. As defending champion, and with his jockey taking his fourth ride in a Grand National, the horse was popular with the public who had backed him down to 7/1 favourite at the start.
Second circuit
Fourteen horses continued racing onto the second circuit, led by Sure Metal and Howe Street who between them held a decent lead until they both fell at the 20th fence.