Grand Annual
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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 1962 | Premier Handicap | 2 miles | ||
| Pos. | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 1 | MORETONS | W Rees | Peter Cazalet | Mrs A Hodgson 100/8 |
| 2 | CROISE | A Major | Dent | Mr J Taylor 10/1 |
| 3 | BARBERYN | Michael Scudamore | W Stephenson | Mr J Bigg 9/1 |
| 4 | SANDY ABBOT | Stan Mellor | G Owen | Mrs J KcKechnie 100/30 fav |
| 5 | MONSIEUR TRIOS ETOILES | Pat Taaffe | J Brogan (Ire) | Mrs W Pilkington 5/1 |
| 6 | ROUGH TWEED | David Nicholson | Neville Crump | Mr S Green 6/1 |
| 7 | MORE POWER | Beasley | A Thomas | Mrs P McAlinden 8/1 |
| 8 | MAGIC ORB | Josh Gifford | Kilpatrick | Mrs T Garratt 100/9 |
| 9 | CARBAJAL | H East | Bobby Renton | Mrs L Brotherton 20/1 |
| 10 | JAMESGROVE | Tim Brookshaw | Kilpatrick | Lord Sherborne 20/1 |
| 11 | HALF CHANGE | J Lehane | Bewicke | Lord Cadogan 33/1 |
| 12 | CANTANGO LAD | Terry Biddlecombe | Rice-Stringer | Mrs H Rice-Stringer 33/1 |
| 13 | IVANHOE COURT | Boulton | Eric Cousins | Mrs R Eastwood 33/1 |
| 14 | ROBERTSON | Vibert | J S Wright | Mr F Cooper 33/1 |
Won by 1 length and 2 lengths |
Over round 123% | |||
The 1962 Grand Annual was held on Wednesday 14th March 1962 |
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