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 1983 | Premier Handicap | 2 miles | ||
| Pos. | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 1 | CHURCHFIELD BOY | J P Byrne | M Cunningham (Ire) | Mr J Quinn 8/1 |
| 2 | FEARLESS IMP | Robert Earnshaw | Michael Dickinson | Mrs C Feather 13/2 fav |
| 3 | TIORDEALBHACH | Fran Berry | O'Connor | Mr H Harpur-Crewe 33/1 |
| 4 | CLASSIFIED | Steve Smith-Eccles | Nicky Henderson | Mr G Rogers 7/1 |
| 5 | RELDIS | Paul Barton | David Gandolfo | Haunch Lane Dev 12/1 |
| 6 | ULMAR | Vince McKevitt | Nick Gaselee | Mrs D Fletcher 25/1 |
| 7 | FRIENDLY ALLIANCE | Tommy Carmody | J Mulhern | Mr J Mulhern 20/1 |
| 8 | SEA MERCHANT | Niall Madden | W A Stephenson | Mr T MocDonagh 15/2 |
| 9 | SPINNING SAINT | A Webber | Kim Bailey | Judith Lady Dulverton 9/1 |
| 10 | MARSHAL NIGHT | Richard Rowe | Josh Gifford | Mr G Hubbard 7/1 |
| 11 | RORQUAL | Sam Morshead | Mrs Mercy Rimell | Mr W Whitbread 12/1 |
| 12 | RUN WITH PRIDE | A Powell | Mick O'Toole | Mr P Hamilford 12/1 |
| 13 | WATER ROCK | P Nicholls | John Thorne | Mr John Thorne 14/1 |
| 14 | DARBY CREEK | Paul Leech | Meade (Ire) | Mrs B Brady 16/1 |
| 15 | FOGGY BUOY | Jonjo O'Neill | Peter Calver | Lord Ronaldshay 20/1 |
| 16 | RESTLESS SHOT | Graham McCourt | Webber | Mr R Richmond-Watson 25/1 |
| 17 | PAY FREEZE | Steve Knight | Bob Turnell | Mr H J Joel 33/1 |
| 18 | NOMADIC STAR | T Wall | H Ford | Mr H Ford 100/1 |
Won by 1 length and 4 lengths |
Over round 133% | |||
The 1983 Grand Annual was held on Tuesday 15th March 1983 |
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