1993 Grand National
Encyclopedia
The 1993 Grand National (officially the Martell Grand National Chase Handicap Grade 3) was scheduled on 3 April 1993 to be the 147th official renewal of the Grand National
horse race
, held annually at Aintree
near Liverpool
, England
.
However, it is remembered for being the first—and so far only—time that the world-famous 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, ironically in the second-fastest time in history.
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.
protestors invaded the course near the first fence (as had happened at the 1991 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 Grand 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 a result, 30 of the 39 riders set off around the racetrack, oblivious to the recall.
) only one of the thirty 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 eleventh and final ride in the race. He fell at the ninth (Valentine's).
One fence later at the tenth, 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 "its 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 in February. 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 of 1992 and vied for favouritism for the National until a few days before the race. Peter 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 running with partner Carl Llewellyn the previous year, 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 naturally popular with the public who had backed him down to 7/1 favourite at the start.
This put Romany King into the lead, which he would hold on to until being passed at the final fence and finishing third. The horse had been narrowly beaten by Party Politics in the previous year's National but had won just one of his six races since, a moderate event at Exeter in November. He shared pre-race favouritism with Party Politics until shortly before the start when he drifted to 15/2 joint-second favourite. His Irish jockey, Adrian Maguire
, was one of nine riders making their debut in the race.
One fence later at the 21st and Joyful Noise refused, Paco's Boy fell, as did the tailed-off The Gooser. Interim Lib unseated his rider at the Canal Turn
and a tailed-off Bonanza Boy refused at Valentine's. Seven runners remained and would go on to complete the course: Romany King, The Committee, Esha Ness, Cahervillahow, Givus A Buck, On The Other Hand and a distant Laura's Beau. As they crossed the Melling Road before approaching the second-last fence, commentator Peter O'Sullevan declared the unfolding events "the greatest disaster in the history of the Grand National."
As they came to the elbow, on the 494-yard run-in to home, Cahervillahow, Romany King, The Committee and Esha Ness remained tight and vying for position. But it was 50/1 Irish horse Esha Ness, ridden by John White and trained by Jenny Pitman
, who crossed the finishing line first — ironically in the second-fastest time in the history of the National. Cahervillahow came home second despite trailing in fourth at the elbow, Romany King was third and The Committee fourth. Givus A Buck completed in fifth, with On The Other Hand and Laura's Beau completing the seven finishers of the National that never was.
Romany King's jockey Adrian Maguire
said: "Going to The Chair, I wondered what the hell was going on because I saw a fellow wandering nonchalantly across the fence. There were two cones in front of it, but the horses still in the race all kept going."
The Jockey Club later declared the race void, ruled out any re-running of it, and launched an inquiry. Bookmakers were forced to refund an estimated £75 million in bets staked.
Zeta's Lad trainer John Upson was among those trainers who were particularly angry, feeling, correctly as it transpired, that this was his only chance to have a leading contender in a National. Before the race Upson had said: "I'm not someone who always thinks their horse is going to win, but this year I just have a feeling." The horse was in mid-division taking the water jump but was instantly pulled up as jockey Robbie Supple, riding in his third National, realised the race was not on. Upson later revealed: "The reason I really blew my top was, that once the initial fiasco had happened, there was the starter standing there saying, 'Right, I'm disqualifying everything, apart from the nine that didn't go. I'll start the race again with nine runners.' At that stage I just thought the world had gone completely mad. The adrenalin was going and I was jumping up and down."
A working group produced a 34-page report with recommendations following the official inquiry, which was approved by the Jockey Club. Considerable public discussion had arisen over the possibility of introducing electronic devices, such as horns or flashing lights, to provide a fail-safe starting and recall system. The use of modern technology however was dismissed on the basis of a lack of total success overseas, and being open to sabotage and technical failure.
The tape at the start line was made more sturdy, consisting of three strands instead of one, and in a more distinctive pattern; the width of the start was also reduced. If a false start is called, two officials (in contact with the starter by radio) will wave fluorescent yellow flags at jockeys. Further up the course, a third official will be positioned so as to arrest those who fail to notice the two initial flags. If necessary, the third official will follow the field in a car to stop them.
Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles, who chaired the working group which produced the recommendations, said he was confident that the exceptional circumstances of the 1993 National would never be repeated: "You start 7,000 races a year with flagmen and it went wrong just three times last year, but one of them was the Grand National. It won't happen again."
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
horse race
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
, held annually at Aintree
Aintree Racecourse
Aintree Racecourse is a racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England.It was served by Aintree Racecourse railway station until the station closed in the 1960s....
near Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
However, it is remembered for being the first—and so far only—time that the world-famous steeplechase
Steeplechase
Steeplechase may refer to:* Steeplechase, an event in horse racing* SteepleChase, a Danish jazz label* Steeplechase , a 1975 arcade game released by Atari...
was declared void, after 30 of the 39 runners began and carried on racing despite there having been a false start
False start
In sports, a false start is a movement by a participant before being signaled or otherwise permitted by the rules to start...
. Seven of the field even went on to complete the course, with Esha Ness crossing the finishing post first, ironically in the second-fastest time in history.
The Jockey Club
Jockey Club
The Jockey Club is the largest commercial organisation in British horseracing. Although no longer responsible for the governance and regulation of the sport, it owns 14 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham and Newmarket, amongst other concerns such as the National Stud and...
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.
False start
The meeting had been beset by problems before the race. Fifteen animal rightsAnimal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
protestors invaded the course near the first fence (as had happened at the 1991 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 Grand 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
Richard Dunwoody
Thomas Richard Dunwoody MBE is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey, riding 1699 British winners in his career. His father was a leading Point to Point rider...
— and Brown called another false start. However, this time his recall flag did not unfurl. As a result, 30 of the 39 riders set off around the racetrack, 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 sixth fence (Becher's BrookBecher's Brook
Becher's Brook is a fence jumped during the Grand National, a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. It is jumped twice during the race, as the sixth and 22nd fence, as well as on four other occasions during the year...
) only one of the thirty 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 eleventh and final ride in the race. He fell at the ninth (Valentine's).
One fence later at the tenth, outsider Senator Snugfit fell. The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's commentary team, consisting of Peter O'Sullevan
Peter O'Sullevan
Sir Peter O'Sullevan is a retired horse racing commentator for the BBC from 1947 to 1997, and correspondent for the Press Association, Daily Express and Today.-Early life:...
, John Hanmer and Jim McGrath
Jim McGrath (Australian commentator)
Jim Aloysius McGrath is the BBC's senior horse racing commentator. He was previously deputy race commentator, and sometimes a paddock commentator.-Career:...
continued to describe proceedings, periodically reminding viewers that "its 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
Peter Scudamore
Peter Scudamore , known universally as 'Scu', is a former jockey and trainer in National Hunt racing. He was an eight-time Champion Jockey , riding 1,678 winners in his career...
on Captain Dibble, Garrison Savannah
Garrison Savannah (horse)
Garrison Savannah was a famous racehorse, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1991 by a short-head from The Fellow with Desert Orchid back in third place. In the same year, he came second in the Aintree Grand National. He won the previous year's Royal & SunAlliance Chase. He had only one race...
, 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 in February. 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
Scottish Grand National
The Scottish Grand National is a Grade 3 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ayr, Scotland, over a distance of approximately 4 miles and 110 yards and 27 fences...
winner of 1992 and vied for favouritism for the National until a few days before the race. Peter 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 running with partner Carl Llewellyn the previous year, 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
Haydock Park Racecourse
Haydock Park Racecourse is a racecourse in Haydock, Merseyside, England. The track is a mostly flat left-handed oval of around 1 mile 5 furlongs with a very slight rise on the run-in. There are courses for flat racing and National Hunt racing...
in February. As defending champion, and with his jockey taking his fourth ride in a Grand National, the horse was naturally popular with the public who had backed him down to 7/1 favourite at the start.
Second circuit
14 horses, however, continued racing onto the second circuit, led by Sure Metal and Howe Street who between them held a decent lead until both fell at the 20th fence.This put Romany King into the lead, which he would hold on to until being passed at the final fence and finishing third. The horse had been narrowly beaten by Party Politics in the previous year's National but had won just one of his six races since, a moderate event at Exeter in November. He shared pre-race favouritism with Party Politics until shortly before the start when he drifted to 15/2 joint-second favourite. His Irish jockey, Adrian Maguire
Adrian Maguire
Adrian Maguire, born 29 April 1971 in Kilmessan, County Meath, Ireland, is a racehorse trainer and former jockey.Maguire began his career in Irish pony racing at the age of nine, in which he rode more than 200 winners. In 1990 he rode his first winner under rules, at Sligo, before his first victory...
, was one of nine riders making their debut in the race.
One fence later at the 21st and Joyful Noise refused, Paco's Boy fell, as did the tailed-off The Gooser. Interim Lib unseated his rider at the Canal Turn
Canal Turn
The Canal Turn is a fence on Aintree Racecourse's National Course and thus is jumped during the Grand National steeplechase which is held annually at the racecourse near Liverpool, England....
and a tailed-off Bonanza Boy refused at Valentine's. Seven runners remained and would go on to complete the course: Romany King, The Committee, Esha Ness, Cahervillahow, Givus A Buck, On The Other Hand and a distant Laura's Beau. As they crossed the Melling Road before approaching the second-last fence, commentator Peter O'Sullevan declared the unfolding events "the greatest disaster in the history of the Grand National."
As they came to the elbow, on the 494-yard run-in to home, Cahervillahow, Romany King, The Committee and Esha Ness remained tight and vying for position. But it was 50/1 Irish horse Esha Ness, ridden by John White and trained by Jenny Pitman
Jenny Pitman
Jenny Pitman is a former British racehorse trainer and author. She became the first woman to train a Grand National winner, when Corbiere won the race in 1983. She went on to win a second Grand National with Royal Athlete in 1995...
, who crossed the finishing line first — ironically in the second-fastest time in the history of the National. Cahervillahow came home second despite trailing in fourth at the elbow, Romany King was third and The Committee fourth. Givus A Buck completed in fifth, with On The Other Hand and Laura's Beau completing the seven finishers of the National that never was.
Aftermath
Initially there was confusion as to what would happen next. Starter Keith Brown was interviewed briefly by the BBC and alluded to the possibility that the nine jockeys who noticed and obeyed his recall could be eligible to take part in a re-run. Several jockeys said that they thought the officials attempting to stop them were actually protestors. Esha Ness's jockey John White said of the latter stages of the race: "I could see there were only a few horses around, but I thought the others had fallen or something."Romany King's jockey Adrian Maguire
Adrian Maguire
Adrian Maguire, born 29 April 1971 in Kilmessan, County Meath, Ireland, is a racehorse trainer and former jockey.Maguire began his career in Irish pony racing at the age of nine, in which he rode more than 200 winners. In 1990 he rode his first winner under rules, at Sligo, before his first victory...
said: "Going to The Chair, I wondered what the hell was going on because I saw a fellow wandering nonchalantly across the fence. There were two cones in front of it, but the horses still in the race all kept going."
The Jockey Club later declared the race void, ruled out any re-running of it, and launched an inquiry. Bookmakers were forced to refund an estimated £75 million in bets staked.
Zeta's Lad trainer John Upson was among those trainers who were particularly angry, feeling, correctly as it transpired, that this was his only chance to have a leading contender in a National. Before the race Upson had said: "I'm not someone who always thinks their horse is going to win, but this year I just have a feeling." The horse was in mid-division taking the water jump but was instantly pulled up as jockey Robbie Supple, riding in his third National, realised the race was not on. Upson later revealed: "The reason I really blew my top was, that once the initial fiasco had happened, there was the starter standing there saying, 'Right, I'm disqualifying everything, apart from the nine that didn't go. I'll start the race again with nine runners.' At that stage I just thought the world had gone completely mad. The adrenalin was going and I was jumping up and down."
Investigation
An inquiry was chaired by High Court judge Sir Michael Connell, the deputy senior steward of the Jockey Club since 1988. His report apportioned some blame to starter Keith Brown for allowing the horses to get too close to the tape, and most blame to Ken Evans, the recall official further down the track for failing to notice the second false start.A working group produced a 34-page report with recommendations following the official inquiry, which was approved by the Jockey Club. Considerable public discussion had arisen over the possibility of introducing electronic devices, such as horns or flashing lights, to provide a fail-safe starting and recall system. The use of modern technology however was dismissed on the basis of a lack of total success overseas, and being open to sabotage and technical failure.
The tape at the start line was made more sturdy, consisting of three strands instead of one, and in a more distinctive pattern; the width of the start was also reduced. If a false start is called, two officials (in contact with the starter by radio) will wave fluorescent yellow flags at jockeys. Further up the course, a third official will be positioned so as to arrest those who fail to notice the two initial flags. If necessary, the third official will follow the field in a car to stop them.
Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles, who chaired the working group which produced the recommendations, said he was confident that the exceptional circumstances of the 1993 National would never be repeated: "You start 7,000 races a year with flagmen and it went wrong just three times last year, but one of them was the Grand National. It won't happen again."
Race card
| Name | Jockey Jockey A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:... |
Age | Weight | SP | Fate |
| Quirinus (CZE Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... ) |
J Brecka | 11 | 11-10 | 300/1 | Fence 17, pulled up |
| Garrison Savannah Garrison Savannah (horse) Garrison Savannah was a famous racehorse, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1991 by a short-head from The Fellow with Desert Orchid back in third place. In the same year, he came second in the Aintree Grand National. He won the previous year's Royal & SunAlliance Chase. He had only one race... |
M Pitman | 10 | 11-08 | 10/1 | Fence 16, pulled up |
| Chatam (USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... ) |
J Lower | 9 | 11-07 | 28/1 | Did not start |
| Party Politics | C Llewellyn | 9 | 11-02 | 7/1 F | Fence 17, pulled up |
| Cahervillahow | C Swan | 9 | 10-11 | 25/1 | Completed, 2nd |
| Captain Dibble | P Scudamore Peter Scudamore Peter Scudamore , known universally as 'Scu', is a former jockey and trainer in National Hunt racing. He was an eight-time Champion Jockey , riding 1,678 winners in his career... |
8 | 10-08 | 9/1 | Fence 17, pulled up |
| Romany King | A Maguire Adrian Maguire Adrian Maguire, born 29 April 1971 in Kilmessan, County Meath, Ireland, is a racehorse trainer and former jockey.Maguire began his career in Irish pony racing at the age of nine, in which he rode more than 200 winners. In 1990 he rode his first winner under rules, at Sligo, before his first victory... |
9 | 10-07 | 15/2 | Completed, 3rd |
| Roc de Prince (FRA France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... ) |
G McCourt | 10 | 10-06 | 66/1 | Did not start |
| Royle Speedmaster | J P Durkan | 9 | 10-05 | 200/1 | Did not start |
| Zeta's Lad | R Supple | 10 | 10-04 | 15/2 | Fence 17, pulled up |
| Royal Athlete | B De Haan | 11 | 10-04 | 17/2 | Fence 10, fell |
| Interim Lib | Mr. J Bradburne | 10 | 10-04 | 200/1 | Fence 24, unseated rider |
| On The Other Hand | N Doughty | 10 | 10-03 | 20/1 | Completed, 6th |
| Direct | P Niven | 10 | 10-03 | 100/1 | Fence 16, pulled up |
| Latent Talent | J Osborne Jamie Osborne Jamie Osborne is a jockey and race horse trainer. Born 28 August 1967 he rode his first winner in March 1986 and in 1999 obtained his trainers licence. Once a favourite of the Queen Mother, he was acquitted of race fixing in 1998.-References:... |
9 | 10-02 | 28/1 | Did not start |
| Nos Na Gaoithe | R Garritty | 10 | 10-02 | 66/1 | Did not start |
| Travel Over | Mr. M Armytage Marcus Armytage Marcus Armytage is a journalist and former National Hunt jockey who won the Grand National as an amateur in 1990, riding Mr Frisk. He was educated at Eton College.... |
12 | 10-02 | 100/1 | Fence 2, pulled up |
| Wont Be Gone Long | R Dunwoody Richard Dunwoody Thomas Richard Dunwoody MBE is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey, riding 1699 British winners in his career. His father was a leading Point to Point rider... |
11 | 10-01 | 16/1 | Did not start |
| Joyful Noise | T Jarvis | 10 | 10-01 | 150/1 | Fence 20, refused |
| Farm Week | S Hodgson | 11 | 10-01 | 200/1 | Fence 4, fell |
| Givus A Buck | P Holley | 10 | 10-00 | 16/1 | Completed, 5th |
| Laura's Beau | C O'Dwyer | 9 | 10-00 | 20/1 | Completed, 7th |
| The Committee | N Williamson Norman Williamson Norman Williamson is a professional jockey in the Irish National Hunt.- References :... |
10 | 10-00 | 25/1 | Completed, 4th |
| Mister Ed | D Morris | 10 | 10-00 | 25/1 | Fence 17, pulled up |
| Riverside Boy | M Perrett | 10 | 10-00 | 28/1 | Fence 17, pulled up |
| Kildimo | L Wyer | 13 | 10-00 | 40/1 | Did not start |
| Esha Ness | J White | 10 | 10-00 | 50/1 | Completed, 1st |
| Stay on Tracks | K Johnson | 11 | 10-00 | 50/1 | Fence 17, pulled up |
| Rowlandsons Jewels | D Gallagher | 12 | 10-00 | 50/1 | Fence 17, pulled up |
| Sure Metal | S J O'Neill | 10 | 10-00 | 50/1 | Fence 20, fell |
| Howe Street | A Orkney | 10 | 10-00 | 66/1 | Fence 20, fell |
| The Gooser | K O'Brien | 10 | 10-00 | 50/1 | Fence 21, fell |
| New Mill House | T Horgan | 10 | 10-00 | 66/1 | Fence 18, pulled up |
| Bonanza Boy | S McNeill | 12 | 10-00 | 100/1 | Fence 24, refused |
| David's Duky | M Brennan | 11 | 10-00 | 100/1 | Fence 17, pulled up |
| Paco's Boy | M Foster | 8 | 10-00 | 100/1 | Fence 20, fell |
| Formula One | Mrs. J Davies | 11 | 10-00 | 200/1 | Did not start |
| Senator Snugfit (USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... ) |
P Hobbs | 8 | 10-00 | 200/1 | Fence 11, fell |
| Tarqogan's Best | B Clifford | 13 | 10-00 | 500/1 | Did not start |
External links
- 1993 race at Grand National World.