Grand Annual Chase Tips & Odds
The Grand Annual Handicap Chase is the penultimate race on day two of the Cheltenham Festival and it takes place at 16:50 on Wednesday 12th March 2025. Read More
You can check out the latest Grand Annual odds here as well as one of our Cheltenham tips for the event nearer the time.
We have a racecard available for the race, while we also have a host of How To guidelines on opening a betting account with some leading betting sites and placing a bet on this dedicated race page.
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About The Grand Annual Handicap Chase
The Grand Annual is the penultimate race of the Cheltenham Festival, on day two of the meeting, and is a handicap chase held over two miles and 62 yards. The race was the final race of the festival from 2009, but switched places with the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle in 2019.
The Grand Annual is the oldest race run at the Cheltenham Festival, having started life all the way back in 1834. Having been briefly discontinued and then moved to other venues, the race returned to Cheltenham in 1913, and it has been named after Nicky Henderson’s father Johnny Henderson since 2005 - who played a key role in safeguarding both the racecourse and the festival. The race was switched to being the final race of the festival in 2009, until swapping places with the Martin Pipe in 2019 as part of a BHA review into horse fatalities at the festival (after three were killed in the 2018 Grand Annual), and it is now the penultimate race of the festival.
Dan Skelton and Harry Skelton combined for the 2024 winner with UNEXPECTED PARTY, who improved bundles for this drop in trip to win for the home team in grand style.
Grand Annual Handicap Chase Key Trends
- Two of the last 10 winners have been sent off favourite
- Six of the last 10 winners have been priced 14/1 or bigger
- Seven of the last 10 winners have carried 11st or more
- Only one of the last 10 winners had won their previous race before winning the Grand Annual
Grand Annual Handicap Chase Tips
We display Grand Annual Handicap Chase tips from our very own longshot specialist, Raceolly, plus the best and most respected tipsters from the Racing Post and national newspapers. @RoadCheltenham is also on hand to provide his best bet in every race on the day.
Previous Winners Of The Grand Annual Handicap Chase
Year | Winner | Winning Jockey | Winning Trainer | Starting Price | Weight |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Unexpected Party | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton | 14/1 | 10-10 |
2023 | Maskada | Darragh O'Keeffe | Henry De Bromhead | 22/1 | 11-1 |
2022 | Global Citizen | Kielan Woods | Ben Pauling | 28/1 | 10-8 |
2021 | Sky Pirate | Nick Scholfield | Jonjo O'Neill | 14/1 | 11-6 |
2020 | Chosen Mate | Davy Russell | Gordon Elliott | 7/2 Fav | 11-4 |
2019 | Croco Bay | Kielan Woods | Ben Case | 66/1 | 10-12 |
2018 | Le Prezien | Barry Geraghty | Paul Nicholls | 15/2 | 11-8 |
2017 | Rock The World | Robbie Power | Jessica Harrington | 10/1 | 11-5 |
2016 | Solar Impulse | Sam Twiston-Davies | Paul Nicholls | 28/1 | 11-0 |
2015 | Next Sensation | Tom Scudamore | Michael Scudamore | 16/1 | 11-2 |
2014 | Savello | Davy Russell | Tony Martin | 16/1 | 11-5 |
2013 | Alderwood | AP McCoy | Thomas Mullins | 3/1 Fav | 10-11 |
Frequently Asked Questions About The Grand Annual
When is the Grand Annual Handicap Chase?
The race takes place at 16:50 on Wednesday 12th March 2025
Where can I watch the Grand Annual Handicap Chase?
Watch the race live on the subscription channel Racing TV which also offers options to stream the race via their streaming services.
Alternatively, most bookmakers offer a free live horse racing stream allowing you to watch the race after you've placed a bet.
Who is the most iconic winner of the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase?
Plenty of talented horses have won the Grand Annual since the turn of the century, though the 1998 winner Edredon Bleu proved to be particularly talented. He arrived at the Grand Annual as a chaser firmly on the up for Henrietta Knight, and he landed a gamble to win under A.P. McCoy, winning by three and a half lengths. Edredon Bleu continued to progress, winning the 1998 Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon, before finishing second in the 1999 Champion Chase - a race seldom contested by winners of the Grand Annual. Having won the Peterborough Chase for the second year running, Edredon Bleu was a lively second favourite behind the hugely-fancied Flagship Uberalles, and with that rival only third, he burst clear under a trademark McCoy ride to become the champion chaser. Although that was perhaps his finest hour, Edredon Bleu would continue to produce plenty of stunning performances, winning the 2003 King George VI Chase at Kempton, before eventually signing off in the 2005 Ryanair Chase.
Are there any trials for the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase?
There are no trials as such for the Grand Annual, and recent winners have had differing paths to the race. For instance, the 2019 winner Croco Bay won the race on the back of a 227-day absence, having run at Worcester during the summer. Key contenders for the Grand Annual regularly run in valuable two-mile handicap chases and even graded races, and both the 2018 winner and runner-up, Le Prezien and Gino Trail, took their chance in a handicap chase at Sandown at the beginning of February before running at the festival.
Who is the most successful jockey in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase?
The most successful jockey in the Grand Annual is Graham Bradley, who had ridden four winners of the race, courtesy of Pearlyman (1986), My Young Man (1992), Sound Reveille (1995), and Uncle Ernie (1997).
Who is the most successful trainer in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase?
The most successful trainer in the history of the Grand Annual is Paul Nicholls, who has trained the winner of the race on four occasions. Nicholls’ winners in the Grand Annual have come courtesy of St Pirran (2004), Andreas (2007), Solar Impulse (2016), and Le Prezien (2018).