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 2013 Premier Handicap 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 ALDERWOO Tony McCoy Thomas Mullins (Ire) Mr John P McManus 3/1 fav
2 KID CASSIDY Jeremiah McGrath Nicky Henderson Mr John P McManus 12/1
3 OISEAU DE NUIT Brendan Powell Colin Tizzard Mr Terry Warner 33/1
4 DRUMSHAMBO Aidan Coleman Venetia Williams The Grouse Partnership 20/1
5 PETIT ROBIN Nico De Boinville Nicky Henderson SW Group Logistics 12/1
6 TATENEN Andrew Thornton Richard Rowe The Stewart Family 50/1
7 RENARD Sam Thomas Venetia Williams ROA Arkle Partnership 25/1
8 FRENCH OPERA Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson Mrs Judy Wilson, Martin Landau 20/1
9 ANQUETTA Davis Bass Nicky Henderson The Ten From Seven 20/1
10 OH CRICK Mr Joshua Newman Alan King Mr David Sewell 33/1
11 PARSNIP PETE Alain Cowley Tom George The Parsnips 33/1
12 KING EDMUND Tom Cannon Chris Gordon Anthony Ward-Thomas 66/1
13 RODY Paddy Brennan Tom George R A Dalton, J C Laing 8/1
14 STAGECOACH PEARL Ryan Mania Sue Smith John & Jacqueline Conroy 66/1
15 MARSHALL ZUKHOV Ian Popham Caroline Keevil Mrs Sara Biggins, Mrs Celia Djivanovic 20/1
16 TETLAMI Richard Killoran Nicky Henderson Mrs Susan Roy 14/1
17 KUMBESHWAR Wayne Hutchinson Alan King McNeill Family, Nigel Bunter 25/1
18 HIS EXCELLENCY Tom Scudamore David Pipe Mr M N Dawson 33/1
19 TANKS FOR THAT Andrew Tinkler Nicky Henderson Mrs Christopher Hanbury 33/1
20 GUS MACRAE Patrick Corbett Rebecca Curtis Quicksilver Racing 33/1
21 VIVA COLONIA Danny Cook Brian Ellison Bolingbroke & Mersey Racing 16/1
22 SHOOTERS WOOD Daryl Jacob Paul Nicholls W A Harrison-Allan 16/1
23 ULCK DU LIN Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls Mrs Johnny De La Hey 7/1

Won by 3 1/4 lengths and 10 lengths

 Over round 132%

The 2013 Grand Annual was held on Friday 15th March 2013