The Grand Annual is the oldest race at the Festival, with the inaugural event taking place in 1834. It’s a trappy little affair for speedy horses held over two miles, one hundred and ten yards, with fourteen fences to negotiate.
The leading trainer in the race is Paul Nicholls, who has saddled four winners, the most recent being Le Prezien in 2018.
Read on to see our Grand Annual Handicap Chase betting tips, odds, and offers.
| Race Details | |
|---|---|
| When: | Wednesday, March 13th - 4:50pm |
| Winner’s Prize: | £70,338 |
| Distance: | Two miles & about half a furlong |
| Race Type: | Grade 2 Chase |
| Age: | 5-Years+ |
| Course: | New Course |
| Weights: | Handicap |
| Where to watch? | ITV Racing, Racing TV, Bookmaker Streams |
Grand Annual Chase Betting Offers & Free Bets
Grand Annual Chase Tips
One of the toughest puzzles to solve in the entire meeting, a race often runs at an incredible pace, which almost turns it into a stamina test despite being over the minimum trip of two miles.
To give you some assistance solving this puzzle, you can head over to Alan Kelly tips page, where he has a 33/1 selection, while you can view the thoughts of Charlie McCann below.
Charlie McCann - Hardy Du Seuil (Each-Way)
I am a fully paid-up member of the Harper’s Brook fan club, but he has run poorly in his four previous starts at the track and for that reason alone is opposed.
Evan Williams has not saddled a winner in his last twenty runners, and stable form is a slight concern for supporters of the progressive market leader Libberty Hunter. It is widely expected that he will improve again given a big field and strong gallop to chase, although he lacks experience of big field handicaps and his two recent wins have been gained in five-runner races for which he has been raised 17lbs in the weights.
Harry Cobden takes over in the plate with regular pilot Adam Wedge sidelined. He is a must for any shortlist as is Madara who could be called the winner from a long way out at Leopardstown last time under the excellent James Reveley. He has been raised 10lbs for that latest success but could still be ahead of the handicapper.
The each-way nod, however, goes to HARDY DU SEUIL, who ran an eye-catching race at Sandown on his belated reappearance last month. Weak in the market, the seven-year-old jumped well in rear and was never asked for an effort 8until the well-handicapped Etalon had gone clear. In the circumstances, I thought it was a good run and the cheekpieces he wore this time last year over hurdles are back on.
The selection has finished in the first three in six of his eight starts, the Jamie Snowden yard had a double on Monday and he stays further than two miles which will be an asset if there is the expected strong gallop.
Note that in the last decade, the Grand Annual has produced eight double-figure priced winners, including SPs of 28/1 and 22/1 in the last couple of renewals.
Grand Annual Chase Betting Odds
As you would expect, it’s another red-hot renewal of the Grand Annual, with several horses heading into the race with strong chances.
Maskada won the race in 2023 and returns to defend her title from an 8lb lower mark - with the Henry de Bromhead stable already amongst the winners this week, she’s bound to be popular with punters.
What Happened Last Year?
In a thrilling finish, it was the Henry de Bromhead-trained Maskada who won the 2023 Grand Annual Chase.
Ridden by Darragh O’Keefe, Maskada took the lead over the final fence and powered up the Cheltenham hill at odds of 22/1, with the 7/2 favourite Dino Blue taking 2nd place.
Grand Annual Chase Key Race Stats
Below, we’ve highlighted some key stats to keep in mind when looking at the Grand Annual Chase.
- We’ve had just two winning favourites from the last 11 renewals
- Eight of the last 11 winners have been aged between 7 and 9
- Nine of the last 12 winners had at least one previous run at Cheltenham
Previous Winners of the Grand Annual
Check out the last five winners of the Grand Annual Chase in the table below.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Maskada |
| 2022 | Global Citizen |
| 2021 | Sky Pirate |
| 2020 | Chosen Mate |
| 2019 | Croco Bay |
FAQs
When is the Grand Annual Chase?
The Grand Annual Chase takes place on Wednesday, March 13th, at 4:50pm.
What distance is the Grand Annual Chase?
The Grand Annual Chase is run over a distance of two miles and about half a furlong.
Which trainer has the best record in the Grand Annual Chase?
Paul Nicholls has trained the winner of the Grand Annual Chase on four occasions with St Pirran in 2004, Andreas in 2007, Solar Impulse in 2016, and Le Prezien in 2018.
More Cheltenham Tips
Check out our tips for all the other Cheltenham Day 2 races:
