When is the Grand Annual Chase 2020?

Cheltenham Friday 13th March 4.50pm

Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (5yo+)

Distance: 2 miles

Weights:  Handicap

The penultimate race of day four of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival is the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase. This is a grade three race and is open to horses aged five years old and older. It is run on the new course at Cheltenham over a distance of about two miles and 110 yards and during this running there are 14 fences to be jumped.

This is the oldest race of the Cheltenham Festival and it is also the oldest chase in the National Hunt calendar, first run in 1834.  As always, previous form over these fences is a big plus.

Grand Annual Chase Trends and Statistics

Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase 12 year trends and statistics

• Age – Ten of the last twelve winners were aged between six and nine.
• Starting Price – A poor race for favourites only 1 having prevailed in the last twelve runnings, eight of the last twelve winners have returned at odds of 10/1 or higher.
• Last Run – Only one of the last twelve winners won on their last run before Cheltenham, nine of the last twelve winners had their last run within the last 90 days.
• Course Form – Eleven of the last twelve winners had at least one previous run at Cheltenham, six of the last twelve winners had at least one previous win at Cheltenham.
• Distance Form – ten of the last twelve winners had at least ten previous runs over between 1m 7f and 2m 1f and at least 3 previous wins over the distance.
• Hurdle Form – Eleven of the last twelve winners had at least five previous runs over hurdles, ten of those winners had at least two previous wins over hurdles.
• Chase Form – Eleven of the last twelve winners had at least five previous chase runs and at least one previous chase win.
• Official Rating – All of the last twelve winners had a rating of 129 or higher.
• Season Form – Eleven of the last twelve winners had at least two previous runs that season, just two of the last twelve winners had won during the season.

Who are the Grand Annual Chase Leading Contenders?

The leading contenders for the 2020 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase are:

• LISP
• BRELAN D’AS
• GREANETEEN
• AL DANCER

What’s Keith’s Grand Annual Chase Tips for 2020?

Here Keith’s tip for the 2020 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase.

Trainer Paul Nicholls has a great record in this race, winning it four times since 2004. This year he saddles BRELAN D’AS.

Owned by JP McManus, BRELAN D’AS has a love/hate relationship with Cheltenham.

There have been great days, such as when he finished third in this race last year, and his fine second in the BetVictor Gold Cup in November.

There have also been the disasters, unseating his regular rider Barry Geraghtry in the Randox Health Handicap Chase, and when he was fancied for the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup in December but made mistake after mistake.

I am hoping that my luck is in on Friday 13th March, and that we catch him on a good day..

My selection for the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase 2020 is: BRELAN D’AS 20/1 each way (NRNB).

As this article is written in advance of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival, the likely contenders are expected to change as we get closer to Cheltenham Gold Cup Day. The picture also starts to get much clearer as we approach the festival, with trainers starting to show their cards in the weeks leading up to Day 4. 

To get Keith’s very latest, up-to-date thoughts on the Day 4 card, and his final Day 4 tips, simply register as a FREE FRT member here, and Keith will email you the full Day 4 tips (including for this race) on the morning of Cheltenham Gold Cup.

What was Keith’s Grand Annual Chase Tip for 2019?

 On raceday Keith advised FOREST BIHAN 33/1 each way who finished 4th of 19 for the place money just 5 lengths off the winner.

Grand Annual Chase Previous Winners

• 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

As these articles are written in advance of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival, the likely contenders are expected to change as we get closer to Cheltenham Gold Cup Day. The picture also starts to get much clearer as we approach the festival, with trainers starting to show their cards in the weeks leading up to Day 4. 

To get Keith’s very latest, up-to-date thoughts on the Day 4 card, and his final Day 4 tips, simply register as a FREE FRT member here, and Keith will email you the full Day 4 tips on the morning of Cheltenham Gold Cup Day.

Who is FRT’s Cheltenham Day 4 Tipster?

Keith Bond is our resident pro tipster here at FRT Towers. Keith lives and breathes horse racing, having begun his love of horse racing over 40 years ago with a part time job at Catterick Racecourse, as one of three fourteen year-olds looking after two jumps and a hurdle.

Over the years, Keith has been a regular at the northern tracks attending countless race meetings and building up a network of contacts, and a portfolio of systems and strategies. 

He was one of the co-founders of Free Racing Tips all the way back in 2008, and his free tips are now backed by more than seventy thousand FRT members every single day.

“Thanks Keith – It’s great to be part of an amazing group of people all after the same thing, passing on tips to beat the bookies” 

Colin Parkinson, Harrow.

The FRT community love Keith’s attention to detail, knowledge of past races, and ability to pick horses…

“You offer some great tips, some fantastic outsiders tipped up as well. Most tipsters just put up favourites. Well done and keep up the good work”

John Woolley, Stockport