Manifesto Novices' Chase Manifesto Novices' Chase The Manifesto Novices' Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and during its running there are sixteen fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Grand National meeting in early April. The event is named after Manifesto, a horse which ran eight times in the Grand National between 1895 and 1904. He won the
1993 Grand National 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. 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