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 1873 Premier Handicap 3 1/2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 MASTER MOWBRAY George Holman 10 stone 10lbs Mr J Goodliff 4/1
2 SYLLA Captain Magennis 10 stone 4lbs Mr Ray 20/1
3 SARCHEDON J Pope 10 stone 2lbs Mr W H Powell 20/1
4 PHYRNE Marsh 11 stone 3lbs Mr Holliday 5/1
5 CRAMOISI Arthur Yates 11 stone 3lbs Mr Lynton 20/1
6 BARCELONA Wheeler 11 stone 2lbs Mr H Ellison 10/1
7 CASSE TETE H Day 11 stone Mr E Brayley 20/1
8 CLIFTON Crawshaw 10 stone 8lbs Mr Lynton 5/2 fav
9 SENTRY-GO W Daniels 10 stone 7lbs Mr J Millward 20/1
10 TRUE BLUE W Reeves 10 stone 5lbs Lord Queensberry 20/1
11 CORFU J Adams 10 stone 4lbs Lord Anglesey 20/1
12 THE SCRUB Harding 10 stone 4lbs Mr Doncaster 20/1
13 THE AEGEAN G Danby 10 stone 4lbs Captain T Smith 20/1
14 LADY DAY W Ducker 10 stone Mr J B Cookson 20/1

Won by 10 lengths and a head

Over round 123%

The 1873 Grand Annual was held in the vicinity of Prestbury Park over 3 1/2 miles on Friday 18th April 1873