The Manifesto Novices Chase is a Grade 1 race for five-year-olds and upwards over two and a half miles.

It takes place during the Grand National meeting at Aintree in April.

It is a recent addition to the festival meeting, and notable winners include Uxizandre (2014) and Protektorat (2021).

Find out more about the Manifesto Novices Chase:

Contents

1 Race Overview – The Manifesto Novices Steeplechase
2 Manifesto Novices’ Chase Previous Winners
3 Famous Manifesto Novices Chase Winners
4 Key Manifesto Novices Chase Trials
5 Manifesto Novices Chase Betting Trends
6 Manifesto Novices Chase – Top Trainers and Jockeys
7 Betting on the Manifesto Novices Chase
8 Manifesto Novices’ Chase Facts
9 Summary of the Manifesto Novices’ Chase
10 Related 2026 Grand National Betting Articles

Race Overview – The Manifesto Novices Steeplechase

Horses five years old or older may enter the Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase known as the Manifesto Novices’ Chase.

There are sixteen fences to clear during the race, which is held at Aintree over a distance of roughly 2 miles and 4 furlongs (2 miles, 3 furlongs, and 200 yards, or 4,005 metres).

Each year, the novice chaser race is scheduled to take place during the Grand National meeting in early April.

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Manifesto Novices’ Chase Previous Winners

Check out the previous winners for this race:

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer
2013	Captain Conan	6	Barry Geraghty	Nicky Henderson
2014	Uxizandre	6	Tony McCoy	Alan King
2015	Clarcam	5	Ruby Walsh	Gordon Elliott
2016	Arzal	6	Gavin Sheehan	Harry Whittington
2017	Flying Angel	6	Noel Fehily	Nigel Twiston-Davies
2018	Finian’s Oscar	6	Robbie Power	Colin Tizzard
2019	Kalashnikov	6	Jack Quinlan	Amy Murphy
no race 2020 [a]
2021	Protektorat	6	Harry Skelton	Dan Skelton
2022	Millers Bank	8	Kielan Woods	Alex Hales
2023	Banbridge	7	JJ Slevin	Joseph O’Brien
2024	Il Etait Temps	6	Paul Townend	Willie Mullins
2025	Impaire Et Passe	7	Paul Townend	Willie Mullins
2026	Koktail Divin	5	Darragh O’Keeffe	Henry de Bromhead

Famous Manifesto Novices Chase Winners

The Manifesto Novices Chase was first run in 2009 with victory going to Tartak, trained by Tom George and ridden by Paddy Brennan.

It is named after the 1897 and 1899 Grand National winner Manifesto, who ran in the race a record eight times.

The Manifesto attracts runners from the Turners Novices Chase at Cheltenham and the Arkle Challenge Trophy.

The race was given Grade 1 status in 2012, with victory going to Menorah.

Uxizandre defeated Oscar Whisky in a high-class renewal in 2014. He won the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham in 2015 with a brilliant front-running performance.

The 2021 race was won by Protektorat, trained by Dan Skelton and ridden by Harry Skelton. He beat The Shunter and went on to finish third to A Plus Tard in the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Protektorat was a brilliant winner of the Betfair Chase at Haydock but was unable to reproduce that form at the festival, finishing fifth to Galopin Des Champs.

Key Manifesto Novices Chase Trials

Five of the last eleven winners ran in the Turners Novices Chase at Cheltenham last time out.

None of them had won but two had been placed.

Three of them rain the Arkle last time, none of them finishing in the frame.

Two of the last eleven winners ran in the Punchestown Novice Chase, but neither was placed.

Manifesto Novices Chase Betting Trends

There has only been one successful favourite in the past eleven renewals; Captain Conan (2013) 6-5.

The race usually attracts a small but select field so it is not surprising that the first nine of those eleven winners were in the first three in the betting. Protektorat won at 17-2 in 2021 and Millers Bank at 7-1 the following season.

Seven of the last nine winners were aged six. Clarcam (2015) became the first five-year-old to win the race, while Millers Bank was one of three eight-year-olds to win since the race was introduced.

The last eleven winners were all officially rated between 147 and 155.

Manifesto Novices Chase – Top Trainers and Jockeys

No Trainer or Jockey has yet managed to dominate this event. Philip Hobbs and Nicky Henderson have trained two winners apiece.

Hobbs won it in 2011 and 2012 with Wishfull Thinking and Menorah.

Henderson’s winners were Mad Max (2010) and Captain Conan (2013). Richard Johnson rode both winners for Hobbs while Barry Geraghty was aboard both winners for Henderson.

Betting on the Manifesto Novices Chase

The first three in the betting have dominated this race so far, and that trend looks likely to continue.

The Turners at Cheltenham have been the best guide, and six-year-olds have by far the best record.

Manifesto Novices’ Chase Facts

The Manifesto Novices’ Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older.
The race is run at Aintree over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs, and during its running, there are sixteen fences to be jumped.
The Manifesto Novices’ Chase is a handicap race scheduled to take place each year in early April.