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 1994 Premier Handicap 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 SNITTON LANE David Bridgwater William Clay Mr H D White 33/1
2 UNCLE ERNIE Mark Dwyer Jimmy Fitzgerald Jimmy Fitzgerald 8/1
3 STORM ALERT S McNeill Andy Turnell Lt-Col W Wetherly 7/1
4 FORCE SEVEN Adrian Maguire Paddy Mullins Mrs C A Moore 13/2
5 BILLY BATHGATE Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson Mr Michael Buckley 9/1
6 L'UOMO PIU Brendan Powell snr A Barrow Mr A Barrow 100/1
7 SETTER COUNTRY W Irvine Ron Hodges Mr R Alley 40/1
8 CLAY COUNTY Brian Storey Dick Allan Mr M C Boyd 20/1
9 NORTHERN JINKS D Meredith Robin Dickin Mrs E R Smith 33/1
10 SAN LORENZO Dean Gallagher Kim Bailey Mr James D Grieg 14/1
11 GOOD FOR A LAUGH D Parker Mrs S A Bramall Mrs S A Bramall 14/1
12 DIS TRAIN Mark Richards Simon Sherwood M L Oberstein 16/1
13 LACKENDARA Jamie Osborne Henrietta Knight Opening Bid Partners 5/1 fav
14 CYPHRATE Charlie Swan Martin Pipe Alias Smith & Jones 16/1
15 EGYPT MILL PRINCE Graham Bradley Mrs Jenny Pitman Mr S R Webb 13/2
16 SAILORS LUCK E Murphy Pat Murphy Mr Geoffrey Greenwood 40/1
17 TRIMLOUGH Warren Marston Paul Dalton Mr R A H Perkins 33/1

Won by 6 lengths and 2 1/2 lengths

 Over round 122%

The 1994 Grand Annual was held on Tuesday 17th March 1994