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 1835 Premier Handicap 4 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 BOBADIL Mr G Patrick 12 stone Mr Pitt 8/1
2 FUGLEMAN Mr D'Oyley 12 stone Mr D'Oyley 8/1
3 CALIPH Captain William Becher 12 stone Mr Baring 8/1
4 SPECTRE gelding Mr Powell 12 stone Mr Kimber 2/1 fav
5 SAILOR Mr Heythorne 12 stone Mr Short 4/1
6 FLATCATCHER Mr Codrington 12 stone Mr Codrington 10/1
7 SHADE Mr R Christian 12 stone Mr Hall 8/1
8 CONRAD Hon A Berkeley 12 stone Mr P Thompson 10/1
9 RHAGFLANCIAD Mr Bradley 12 stone Mr Bradley 4/1
10 THE SPEAKER Mr S Lovesy 12 stone Mr Newman 6/1
11 CHANCE Mr J Hill 12 stone Mr C W Wells 10/1
Won by half a neck in 14 minutes and 28 seconds; the winner was bought for £100 by Captain Becher, as specified in the race conditions. Over round 158%

The second running of the Grand Annual Steeplechase took place on Wednesday 1st April 1835 on a course once again laid out by Lord Segrave in the vicinity of Andoversford. Various newspapers described the course, which differed from the previous years; the Cheltenham and Gloucester Advertiser described it thus, ’The course started on the left on the Whittington Road following a line alongside the road towards a barn, then on to Mr Bennett's "seed piece". Riders were advised to leave on the left to avoid a difficult jump and a cottage in the second field. The riders were then told to aim for the upper line. The course continued along the London Road to Mr Smith's farm, across a lane leading to Andoversford, then round Mr Arkell's barn, leaving it on the right before progressing down for the London Road, round the inn and up the Stow Road, alongside of which the course continued and finished in a large field of Mr Fletcher's at Hampen Hill - a distance upwards of four miles.’