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 1841 Premier Handicap 4 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1= GREYLING Tom Oliver   Colonel Charritie 4/1
1= ZENO William Holman   Mr J Walters 8/1
3 PERFECTION Captain Skipworth   Lord Macdonald 3/1 fav
4 PHYSICIAN Mr A McDonough   Mr A Robinson 10/1
5 CONSUL Mr J Tibury   Mr J Tibury 10/1
6 LEGACY W Newman   Mr J Probyn 10/1

The race was described as one of the most exciting ever, resulting in a dead-heat between Greyling and Zeno, and the winning connections decided to share the spoils rather than subject their horses to a run off. Clearly the bookmakers weren/t very good because the advertsied prices would not have given them a profit.

 Over round 83%

The 1841 Grand Annual was held on Monday 29th March 1841 on land in the vicinity of Andoversford on a course designed by the Lord Lieutenant of the County Lord Segrave. The line of country selected commenced in a grass field near to Frogmill, proceeding over some boggy grassland intersected with several fences in the direction of the brook under Clevely Grove which had to be crossed, in total, 4 times. Brooks, a meadow and some pretty stiff bullfinches had to be negotiated before the ground then suddenly diverged to the left heading towards a clump of trees immediately opposite the village of Withington. From there there was a straight run home of a mile and a quarter leaving the church on the left.