Grand Annual

 The Grand Annual Chase is the oldest race at the Festival having first been staged on 4th April 1834 over 4 miles of open country at Andoversford, near Cheltenham. Although that race was discontinued in the 1860s, it was revived in the early 1900s, although it was staged at various courses, notably Warwick, Melton Mowbray and Leicester. It was only in 1913 that it returned permanently to Cheltenham and has been a significant part of the Festival ever since. It is run over 1 mile 7 furlongs and 199 yards and 14 fences and is now classed as a Premier Handicap. In 2005 its name was updated to the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase in recognition of the part played by Johnny Henderson, father of legendary trainer Nicky Henderson, in forming the Racecourse Holdings Trust which secured the future of Cheltenham by purchasing the Prestbury Park venue for £240,000.
Early history:- The inaugural running of Grand Annual Chase took place on April 4 1834 at Andoversford, in the vicinity of Cheltenham when won by Fugleman owned by Mr R D’Oyley beating Conrad owned by Colonel Gilbert.
Grand Annual 1958 Premier Handicap 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 TOP TWENTY F Shortt Magnier (Ire) Mrs M O'Brien 10/1
2 DOVE COTE M Batchelor J S Wright Mrs M Milne Green 100/7
3 PRINCE NEARCO D W Thompson Dutton Mr D W Thompson 100/8
4 GALLERIO W J Brennan C Weld (Ire) Mrs M Donnelly 13/2 fav
5 BOB TAILED 'UN G Mack T H Yates Mr E Bee 7/1
6 BALLYATOM Fred Winter Beeby Mrs D M Evans-Bevan 8/1
7 BUNDU P G Madden Fulke Walwyn Mrs K M Weld 9/1
8 NORTHERN ECHO V Speck Neville Crump Mr K B Dewhirst 9/1
9 PELOPIDAS Dave Dick Frenchie Nicholson Miss Dorothy Paget 10/1
10 HIGHLAND BARD Michael Scudamore Bewicke Major J L Priestman 100/7
11 SIR EDMUND E Morrow Kilpatrick Mr F H Curnick 100/7
12 SERINGAPATAM D Ansell Bob Turnell Mr I C G Scott 100/6
13 ROSENKAVALIER W Rees Bob Turnell Mr G Stralosch 100/6
14 KIND ANSWER A Dennis Rice-Stringer Mr H D Jenner 100/6
15 GLAMORGAN D H Clarke A Ketteringham Mr A Ketteringham 20/1
16 AMBER WAVE J A Bullock Champneys Mr D T Carter 20/1
17 ROPABI Stan Mellor G R Owen Duchess of Westminster 20/1
18 BIG BILL H M Gosling Payne-Gallwey Mrs F B Watkins 20/1

Won by 5 lengths and 1 1/2 lengths

 Over round 144%

The 1958 Grand Annual was held on Tuesday 11th March 1958