Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase
Premier Handicap race
LocationCheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham, England
Inaugurated1834
Race typeChase
WebsiteCheltenham
Race information
Distance1m 7f 99y (3,499 metres)
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFive-years-old and up
WeightHandicap
Purse£125,500 (2023)
1st: £70,338
Grand Annual Chase
2024
White, grey hoop, white and red hooped cap Royal blue, pink hoop Dark green, yellow braces, yellow and dark green striped sleeves, hooped cap
Unexpected Party Libberty Hunter Path D'oroux
Previous years
2023
Red, black stars, red cap, black star Emerald green, yellow hoops, emerald green and yellow quartered cap Pink, mauve star, mauve sleeves, pink stars and cap
Maskada Dinoblue Global Citizen
2022
Pink, mauve star, mauve sleeves, pink stars and cap Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap Dark blue, brown chevrons, dark blue sleeves and cap
Global Citizen Andy Dufresne Frero Banbou
2021
Yellow, dark blue triple diamond and armlets Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap Royal blue, white hoop and sleeves
Sky Pirate Entoucas Ibleo
2020-2011
2020
Royal blue and white stripes, emerald green sleeves, white seams, emerald green cap, white star maroon, white star, white armlets and cap Dark blue and red (halved), dark blue sleeves, white cap
Chosen Mate Eclair De Beaufeu Us And Them
2019
Gold, black sleeves and cap with gold tassel Light blue, royal blue star, white and royal blue check sleeves and cap Emerald green, yellow hoops, emerald green cap, white star
Croco Bay Bun Doran Brelan D'As
2018
Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap White, black spots, black sleeves, white spots Dark blue and white diabolo, emerald green and white check sleeves, white cap, red star
Le Prezien Gino Trail Top Gamble
2017
White, black striped sleeves and cap Light blue, red braces, white sleeves, red armlets, light blue and red quartered cap Yellow, light blue hooped sleeves
Rock The World Gardefort Theinval
2016
Black and beige (halved), chevrons on sleeves, beige cap Dark blue and white diamonds, white sleeves, red cap White, black striped sleeves and cap
Solar Impulse Dandridge Rock The World
2015
Red, black braces, black and red hooped sleeves, quartered cap Emerald green, yellow hoops, emerald green cap, white star Yellow, black sleeves and cap with yellow tassel
Next Sensation Eastlake Croco Bay
2014
Maroon, white star, armlets and star on cap Emerald green and yellow hoops, red cap Maroon, white chevron, striped sleeves and cap
Savello Ned Buntline Claret Cloak
2013
Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap Emerald Green, Yellow hoops, Emerald Green cap, White star Yellow, black chevron, check cap
Alderwood Kid Cassidy Oiseau de Nuit
2012
EMERALD GREEN and yellow HOOPED, Red cap Maroon, yellow cap, maroon spots Dark blue, maroon star, maroon cap
Bellvano Tanks For That Kumbeshwar
2011
Yellow, black chevron, check cap Black and red quartered, red and black halved sleeves, emerald green cap Light blue, pink chevrons, light blue sleeves, light blue cap, pink star
Oiseau de Nuit Askthemaster Leo's Lucky Star
2010-2001
2010
Emerald green, white stars, emerald green cap, white star Dark blue, emerald green hoop, quartered cap Navy blue, gold braid
Pigeon Island French Opera Consigliere
2009
Yellow, red spots Emerald green and white check, emerald green sleeves, white armlets and star on cap Dark blue, emerald green hoop, quartered cap
Oh Crick Moon Over Miami French Opera
2008
Maroon and White stripes, Maroon cap, White hoop Grey, White epaulets Red, White chevron and armlets, striped cap
Tiger Cry My Petra Calatagan
2007
Emerald green and yellow quartered, white sleeves and cap Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap Emerald green and yellow hoops, green cap, white star
Andreas Hasty Prince Ground Ball
2006
Dark blue, emerald green hoop, dark blue sleeves, quartered cap MAROON and WHITE STRIPES, maroon cap, white hoop Purple, yellow triple diamond, yellow sleeves, red armlets, red cap
Greenhope Tiger Cry Madison Du Berlais
2005
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap Black and Yellow diamonds, checked sleeves, Yellow cap White, large royal blue spots, royal blue cap
Fota Island Bambi De L'orme Caracciola
2004
Red, white cross belts, hooped sleeves and star on cap Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap Light blue, red stars on body and cap
St Pirran Ground Ball Reiziger
2003
Green, yellow sleeves, light blue cap Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap Royal blue, emerald green hollow box and sleeves
Palarshan Risk Accessor Dark'n Sharp
2002
BLACK and WHITE HOOPS, emerald green cap, white star Red, Yellow diamond and sleeves, Yellow cap, Red diamond Royal blue, emerald green hollow box and sleeves
Fadoudal Du Cochet Exit Swinger Dark'n Sharp
2000-1991
2000
Mauve and yellow check, yellow sleeves Pink and black stripes, diabolo on sleeves Terracotta, emerald green cap and tassel
Samakaan Green Green Desert Aghawadda Gold
1999
Grey, maroon triple diamond, grey sleeves, maroon seams, grey cap, maroon diamonds Yellow, light blue hoop Emerald Green, Red cross belts, striped sleeves, Red cap
Space Trucker Dines Hurricane Lamp
1998
Light blue and maroon stripes, light blue sleeves, hooped cap Black and yellow diabolo, yellow sleeves and cap Red, green chevrons, white sleeves, green armlets, white cap
Edredon Bleu Tidebrook Cumbrian Challenge
1997
Pink and grey diamonds, pink cap Royal blue, emerald green sleeves, white cap, emerald green spots White, light blue stars on body, red cap
Uncle Ernie Elzoba Perknapp
1996
Yellow, black chevron, check cap Red, emerald green cross of lorraine and sleeves Pink and grey diamonds, pink cap
Kibreet Easthorpe Uncle Ernie
1995
Blue, yellow diamond on body and cap Blue and white (halved), grey sleeves, pink cap Maroon and Red check, Red sleeves and cap
Sound Reveille Auburn Castle Around The Horn
1994
Orange, black diamond, black and orange hooped cap White, black sleeves, striped cap Dark blue, yellow sleeves, red and black striped cap
Snitton Lane Uncle Ernie Storm Alert
1993
Royal blue, large white spots and armlets Olive green, orange sleeves and cap Dark blue, yellow sleeves, red and black striped cap
Space Fair Shamana Storm Alert
1992
Cerise, white cross belts, black cap, white star White, royal blue chevron, sleeves and spots on cap Red and black stripes, white cap, red hoop
My Young Man Whatever You Like Wide Boy
1991
Eton blue, black sleeves, check cap Royal blue, white seams, hooped sleeves, quartered cap Maroon, white sleeves, orange and white quartered cap
Aldino Star's Delight Another Coral
1990-1988
1990
Maroon and Red check, Red sleeves and cap Royal blue, orange sash, striped sleeves, quartered cap White, royal blue diamonds, white sleeves, white cap, blue spots
Katabatic Tresidder Gold Options
1989
Green and pink stripes, pink cap Emerald green, white sleeves, emerald green and white check cap Tan, black and green hooped sleeves, black cap
Pukka Major Clay Hill Ida's Delight
1988
Yellow, red chevron, striped sleeves, hooped cap Emerald green, white sleeves, emerald green and white check cap Emerald green, orange chevron and star on cap
Vodkatini Clay Hill Mr Key
 

The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles (1 mile 7 furlongs and 199 yards, or 3,199 metres), and during its running there are fourteen fences to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.

History

The Grand Annual is the oldest race at the Festival, and it is also the oldest chase in the present National Hunt calendar. It was first run in April 1834, and it was initially contested over three miles of open country at Andoversford, near Cheltenham. The race was discontinued in the 1860s, but it was revived at the turn of the century. During the early 1900s it took place at several different venues, including Melton Mowbray, Leicester and Warwick. It returned to Cheltenham in 1913.

The name of Johnny Henderson (1920–2003), a banker and racehorse owner, was added to the race's title in 2005. Henderson, the father of trainer Nicky, realized in the early 1960s that the racecourse at Cheltenham was attracting the interest of property developers. To safeguard its future, and that of the Festival, Henderson and other Jockey Club members formed the Racecourse Holdings Trust, and raised £240,000 to purchase the venue.[1]

The running order of the races at the Cheltenham Festival was altered slightly in 2009, and the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase became the last event on the final day. A further change for the 2019 meeting moved the race to become the penultimate race on the final day, switching places with the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.[2] The maximum number of runners in the race was reduced from 24 to 20 from the 2019 running after a British Horseracing Authority (BHA) review into fatalities at the Cheltenham Festival; the 2018 running of the Grand Annual had seen three horses suffer fatal injuries.[3] In 2021 another change in the Festival running order saw the Grand Annual moved to the second day of the meeting and therefore switch from Cheltenham's New Course to the Old Course. The race held Grade 3 status until 2022 and was re-classified as a Premier Handicap from the 2023 running when Grade 3 status was renamed by the BHA.[4]

Records

Most successful horse since 1946 (2 wins):

Leading jockey since 1946 (4 wins):

Leading trainer since 1946 (4 wins):

Winners since 1946

Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer
1946 Loyal King 6 11–12 Dan Moore Fulke Walwyn
1947 Rope Trick 6 10-08 Tony Doyle Verly Bewicke
1948 Clare Man 7 10-03 Charlie Hook Walter Nightingall
1949 no race 1949 [a]
1950 Norborne 6 11-04 Eddie Reavey Geoffrey Champneys
1951 Merry Court 6 10–11 Tim Molony Tom Yates
1952 Marcianus 6 11-02 Tim Molony George Beeby
1953 Rose & Crown 6 10-00 Johnny Bullock Fulke Walwyn
1954 Hipparchus 5 10-01 Jack Dowdeswell Peter Rice-Stringer
1955 no race 1955 [a]
1956 Rosenkavalier 7 10-06 Harry Sprague Bob Turnell
1957 Sir Edmund 7 10–12 Bert Morrow Alec Kilpatrick
1958 Top Twenty 9 10-07 Francis Shortt Clem Magnier
1959 Top Twenty 10 12-06 Fred Winter Clem Magnier
1960 Monsieur Trois Etoiles 8 11-06 Frankie Carroll Jimmy Brogan
1961 Barberyn 6 11-00 Michael Scudamore Willie Stephenson
1962 Moretons 9 10–12 Bill Rees Peter Cazalet
1963 Anner Loch 8 10-06 David Nicholson John Hicks
1964 Richard of Bordeaux 9 11-03 Willie Robinson Fulke Walwyn
1965 Fort Rouge 7 11-00 George Milburn Ken Oliver
1966 Well Packed 8 10–11 Tommy Stack Bobby Renton
1967 San Angelo 7 11-01 John Buckingham Edward Courage
1968 Hal's Farewell 7 10-10 Jeff King Peter Bailey
1969 All Glory 8 10-00 Anthony Robinson[b] John Edwards
1970 Fortina's Palace 7 11-11 Peter Jones Michael Scudamore
1971 Khan 7 10-08 Frankie Carroll Mick Burke
1972 Tudor Dance 6 10-02 Jeff King Bob Turnell
1973 Coolera Prince 8 10-10 Nigel Wakley Tim Handel
1974 Dulwich 7 10-01 Taffy Salaman Colin Davies
1975 no race 1975 [c]
1976 Dulwich 9 11-07 Bob Davies Colin Davies
1977 Tom Morgan 8 11-06 Tommy Stack Ken Oliver
1978 Young Arthur 9 11-04 Allen Webb Derek Kent
1979 Casbah 12 11–13 Graham Thorner Tim Forster
1980 Stopped 8 11–12 Ben de Haan Fred Winter
1981 Friendly Alliance 8 10-07 John Francome Fred Winter
1982 Reldis 8 10-00 Paul Barton David Gandolfo
1983 Churchfield Boy 7 10-00 Joe Byrne Michael Cunningham
1984 Mossy Moore 8 10-00 Jonjo O'Neill Brian Chinn
1985 Kathies Lad 8 11-10 Steve Smith Eccles Alan Jarvis
1986 Pearlyman 7 11-05 Graham Bradley John Edwards
1987 French Union 9 11-03 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson
1988 Vodkatini 9 10–13 Richard Rowe Josh Gifford
1989 Pukka Major 8 10-02 Peter Scudamore Tim Thomson Jones
1990 Katabatic 7 10-08 Hywel Davies Andrew Turnell
1991 Aldino 8 10-00 Jamie Osborne Oliver Sherwood
1992 My Young Man 7 11-10 Graham Bradley Charlie Brooks
1993 Space Fair 10 11-01 Adrian Maguire Richard Lee
1994 Snitton Lane 8 10-00 David Bridgwater William Clay
1995 Sound Reveille 7 10-10 Graham Bradley Charlie Brooks
1996 Kibreet 9 10–12 Tony McCoy Philip Hobbs
1997 Uncle Ernie 12 11-04 Graham Bradley Jimmy FitzGerald
1998 Edredon Bleu 6 11-06 Tony McCoy Henrietta Knight
1999 Space Trucker 8 10-01 Shay Barry Jessica Harrington
2000 Samakaan 7 10–11 Norman Williamson Venetia Williams
2001 no race 2001 [d]
2002 Fadoudal du Cochet 9 10-00 David Casey Arthur Moore
2003 Palarshan 5 10-00 Mark Bradburne Henry Daly
2004 St Pirran 9 10-01 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls
2005 Fota Island 9 10-00 Paul Carberry Mouse Morris
2006 Greenhope 8 10–11 Andrew Tinkler Nicky Henderson
2007 Andreas 7 10–11 Robert Thornton Paul Nicholls
2008 Tiger Cry 10 10-06 Davy Russell Arthur Moore
2009 Oh Crick 6 10-00 Wayne Hutchinson Alan King
2010 Pigeon Island 7 10-01 Paddy Brennan Nigel Twiston-Davies
2011 Oiseau de Nuit 9 10–13 Steven Clements Colin Tizzard
2012 Bellvano 8 10-02 Paul Carberry Nicky Henderson
2013 Alderwood 9 10–11 Tony McCoy Thomas Mullins
2014 Savello 8 11-05 Davy Russell Tony Martin
2015 Next Sensation 8 11-02 Tom Scudamore Michael Scudamore, Jr.
2016 Solar Impulse 6 11-00 Sam Twiston-Davies Paul Nicholls
2017 Rock the World 9 11-05 Robbie Power Jessica Harrington
2018 Le Prezien 7 11-08 Barry Geraghty Paul Nicholls
2019 Croco Bay 12 10-12 Kielan Woods Ben Case
2020 Chosen Mate 7 11-04 Davy Russell Gordon Elliott
2021 Sky Pirate 8 11-06 Nick Scholfield Jonjo O'Neill
2022 Global Citizen 10 10-06 Kielan Woods Ben Pauling
2023 Maskada 7 11-01 Darragh O'Keeffe Henry De Bromhead
2024 Unexpected Party 9 10-10 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton
  1. ^ a b The race was cancelled in 1949 due to frost, and in 1955 due to snow
  2. ^ amateur jockey
  3. ^ It was abandoned in 1975 due to waterlogging
  4. ^ The 2001 running was cancelled because of a foot-and-mouth crisis

See also

References

  1. ^ "Johnny Henderson obituary". independent.co.uk. 24 December 2003. Retrieved 12 February 2010.[dead link]
  2. ^ Mottershead, Lee (4 February 2019). "Conditionals to close Cheltenham Festival after switching with Grand Annual". Racing Post.
  3. ^ Barber, Bill (12 December 2018). "BHA unveils 17 recommendations from welfare review of Cheltenham Festival". Racing Post.
  4. ^ "Jump Pattern Committee update 22/23 season". British Horseracing Authority. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
Categories