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 2006 Premier Handicap 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 GREENHOPE Andrew Tinkler Nicky Henderson Lynn & Giles Wilson, M Landau 20/1
2 TIGER CRY David Casey Arthur Moore (Ire) Mr C Jones 6/1
3 MADISON DU BERLAIS Tom Scudamore Martin Pipe Roger Stanley, Yvonne Reynolds 11/1
4 NYRCHE Robert Thornton Alan King Tony & Jeni Fisher 20/1
5 DAVENPORT DEMOCRAT Barry Geraghty Willie Mullins (Ire) PM Racing Syndicate 50/1
6 GROUND BALL Tony McCoy Charlie Swan Mr John P McManus 11//1
7 GREEN TANGO Richard Johnson Henry Daly Strachen, Gabb, Barlow, Harford 6/1
8 CARACCIOLA Marcus Foley Nicky Henderson Mr P J D Pottinger 16/1
9 ZUM SEE Paul Carberry Noel Meade Alex Syndicate 20/1
10 BAMBI DE L'ORME Graham Lee Ian Williams Mr & Mrs John Poynton 16/1
11 TANIKOS Sam Curling Nicky Henderson Studwell Two Partnership 50/1
12 DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM Tom Doyle Paul Webber The Dream On Partneship 80/1
13 MARCEL Rodi Greene Martin Pipe The Johnson Family 33/1
14 KALCA MOME Paddy Brennan Philip Hobbs Miss I Du Pre 50/1
15 BLEU SUPERBE Sam Thomas Venetia Williams P A Deal, Tyndal, Hirschfield 40/1
16 FLYING SPIRIT Jamie Moore Gary Moore Mr Richard Green 50/1
17 SHARP RIGGING Jimmy McCarthy Alex Hales The Sharpshooters /1
18 ANDREAS Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls Mr Mark Ticknell 4/1 fav
19 TYSOU Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson Mr W J Brown 14/1
20 LIBERTY SEEKER Davy Russell Alan Swinbank Mr M Sawers 100/1
21 TRIBAL DISPUTE David O'Meara Tim Easterby Mrs Jennifer Pallister 40/1
22 STRIKE BACK Niall Madden Jessica Harrington (Ire) Commonstown Racing 25/1
23 PORTAVADIE Tony Dobbin Malcolm Jefferson Ashleybank Investment 50/1

Won by 2 lengths and 1 length

 Over round 132%

The 2006 Grand Annual was held on Friday 17th March 2006