1993 Grand National

1993 Grand National
Grand National
LocationAintree
Date3 April 1993
Winning horseNone
JockeyNone
TrainerNone
OwnerNone
ConditionsGood to firm[1]
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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.[1]

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.[2]

The Jockey Club decided not to re-run the race, and as a result it has often been called "the race that never was".[3][4] Bookmakers were forced to refund an estimated £75 million in bets staked.[2][4] The Jockey Club launched an inquiry which led to a number of changes in the starting and recall procedures in future races.[5]

  1. ^ a b 3:50 Aintree Result Archived 18 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine, Racing Post, 3 April 1993
  2. ^ a b On this day: 3 April 1993 -Grand National ends in 'shambles' Archived 7 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine, bbc.co.uk
  3. ^ Paul Hayward, "Racing: Day of disaster for National" Archived 25 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine, The Independent, 4 April 1993
  4. ^ a b John White, "3 April 1993: Esha Ness 'wins' the Grand National that never was Archived 4 January 2017 at the Wayback Machine", The Guardian, 3 April 2010
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference independentinquiry was invoked but never defined (see the help page).