2026 Grand Annual Handicap Chase Betting Odds at Cheltenham racecourse

2026 Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase Betting Tips

It's rare that a horse has achieved two triumphs in the history of the race considering that Top Twenty (1958 and 1959) and Dulwich (1974 and 1976) are the only runners who have made this achievement. Jazzy Matty is trained by Cian Collins and produced an encouraging performance at Cheltenham when finishing fifth out of twenty runners.

That was in October, with the horse running well over two miles and four furlongs. However, the runner might find it better over a stiffer distance, with the horse also finding the distance too far when competing at Galway. However, the betting market is likely to be wide open and Only By Night could be a credible contender.

Gavin Cromwell is no stranger to success at a Cheltenham Festival, with the horse obliging with a victory at Naas in early November. Sent off at odds of 4/1, the charge performed well over two miles and acted well on the soft ground in the Barberstown Castle Chase, see off other talented runners.

We should also note that the horse ran really well when finishing second in the Arkle Chase at the last Cheltenham Festival, with the horse then landing a runner-up spot behind Majborough at Punchestown.

Unexpected Party wasn't able to perform at Kelso in early December, with that coming after a solid enough effort at Carlisle in November. However, we should bear in mind that the horse was sent off as the 11/2 favourite in this race twelve months ago and finished close behind Jazzy Matty so he has the course and distance.

2025 Grand Annual Chase Tips

The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase is always a captivating encounter, with Libberty Hunter lining up as the favourite and the horse will return to the Cheltenham Festival after finishing second in the same race last term. The nine-year-old was able to land a victory at Prestbury Park in mid-December, when winning by four lengths.

Previously to this, there was a smart performance at Aintree where Libberty Hunter outperformed his odds to finish third in the Maghull Novices’ Chase. That came a month after finishing second in the 2024 Grand Annual where the 6/1 chance missed out on a victory by two lengths when losing to Unexpected Party.

Jazzy Matty was able to finish second in his previous appearance at Thurles, with the six-year-old having run well over nearly two miles. This came after a solid outing at Cheltenham in October, while Touch Me Not could be a great each-way prospect based on a smart showing at Leopardstown at the Dublin Racing Festival.

There was no disgrace in finishing nine lengths behind Majborough when the 12/1 shot was able to land a runner-up spot, with beating some other quality performers in the Irish Arkle Novice Chase. There was also a second-placed finish behind L’Eau du Sud at Sandown in early December after winning at Punchestown in November.

2024 Grand Annual Tips

There are lots of potential winners when it comes to the Grand Annual, with customers recommended to select two or three horses against the field. My Mate Mozzie runs for trainer Gavin Cromwell and the eight-year-old ran well at Leopardstown Racecourse on Boxing Day, finishing second in the Racing Post Novice Chase.

It was a solid outing considering that the horse finished ahead of Facile Vega, with the horse returning to Cheltenham Racecourse after previously winning a four-runner race when obliging as the 4/7 favourite in a Novices’ Chase. However, the horse failed to oblige as the 8/15 favourite in a Beginners Chase at Fairyhouse Racecourse.

Cromwell is mob-handed going into the race and Inowhaturthinkin is a six-year-old who was able to finish third out of five runners and it was respectable to finish just seven lengths behind Gaelic Warrior. The same horse beat him into second at Punchestown by fifteen lengths, although the runner is clearly capable of running to a strong mark.

Djelo and Master Chewy come next in the betting, with the former having scored three consecutive wins at Aintree, Newbury and Ascot. At Aintree, Djelo and Master Chewy were the first two horses home, with Venetia Williams’ charge potentially well weighted and ready to deliver another notable victory.

2023 Grand Annual Challenge Cup Betting Tips

Final Orders is a talented seven-year-old trained by Gavin Cromwell and it’s hard to crab his form coming into this race at the Cheltenham Festival. The runner has put together a string of victories which means he could go off betting favourite for an encounter over two miles, with the latest victory coming in the Dublin Racing Festival where he was able to win over two miles and a furlong.

That was by a convincing margin of four lengths and the performance was preceded by a win on Boxing Day also at Leopardstown, although he will have to continue his upwards trajectory in order to finish ahead of the pack and that includes beating Aucunrisque. Chris Gordon’s charge hasn’t been out of the front two in his four outings this season and could go well.

The victory in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury Racecourse in February suggests that there is more to come from a seven-year-old who finished second to Boothill in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase on 27 December, with JP McManus also having several of the Cheltenham betting favourites, including Dinoblue and Saint Roi.

Dinoblue finished well down the order at the Cheltenham Festival last year in the Mares Novices’ Hurdle after being sent off as the 11/8 favourite, although she ran well in a Mares Chase at Naas more recently and will benefit from having the weight allowance in this clash, while Saint Roi was actually third to Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle last year and should also be respected.

2022 Grand Annual Tips

Willie Mullins is the betting favourite when it comes to Top Cheltenham Festival trainer odds and perhaps he will secure a few victories in the handicap races. The Irish handler has an exciting six-year-old in the form of Gentleman de Mee, with the JP McManus-owned runner having finished second to the talented Haut En Couleurs in the Paddy Power Games Beginners Chase.

Previously to this, the horse was fifth in a Beginners Chase at Punchestown Racecourse in early December, with Ferny Hollow producing the goods in that particular race although this is likely to be a less competitive betting heat. The horse finished tenth in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at last year’s Festival when being sent off as 4/1 favourite.

Who Are the Grand Annual Handicap Chase Favourites?

Brave Seasca could be a great Cheltenham Festival betting tip, with the horse having won on his past three outings. The seven-year-old is trained by Venetia Williams and scored two successes at Warwick Racecourse which sandwiched a solitary success at Ascot in December – arguably the most impressive run of all.

Charlie Deutsch rode the horse to victory at Warwick over two miles in mid-January, with Sky Pirate beaten by seven lengths, while the win at Ascot was in the Howden Novices' Limited Handicap Chase where he won by three lengths over two miles and one furlong.

Henry de Bromhead is likely to win with his hot Cheltenham Festival tip Honeysuckle on Day One of the meeting and perhaps the Irish trainer will score again with Coeur Sublime having proven really impressive at Gowran Park and the horse was sent off as 1/6 under the ride of Rachael Blackmore.

Buddy Rich will line up for trainer Gordon Elliott and the nine-year-old ran in a competitive handicap race at Fairyhouse in November, with the horse sent off as the 5/2 favourite before finishing fourth. Dunvegan is the one to watch at a bigger price and it’s often worth an each-way horse racing bet on this race.

As we come towards the end of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival, there are still some exciting races that remain on the cards and this includes the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual which is run over a distance of approximately two miles.

This race has been in operation since 1834 and it’s now a Grade 3 encounter which is the oldest race at the Festival, with Croco Bay making history when winning the 2019 renewal at the ripe old age of 12.

Previously to this, we have largely seen winners oblige around the age of 8, with Le Prezien, Rock the World and Edredon Bleu among those horses who have passed the post first in this race.

It’s one of those Festival races where the field is unclear until we get much closer to the off, although Lisp could be the horse that goes off favourite, with the Alan King-trained runner having run well in the County Hurdle last year.

On that occasion, the six-year-old finished in fifth place and we shouldn’t forget that he outran his odds of 25/1 to achieve that position, although form since then hasn’t been particularly convincing.

Last time out, Lisp finished third out of four in a Grade 2 race although it was a competitive heat which also featured Mister Fisher and Al Dancer, with Lisp effectively dropping down in class should he line up in the Grand Annual.

Greaneteen is an interesting runner and the Paul Nicholls-trained horse has achieved a recent double which sets things up nicely for the six-year-old as he prepares for the Festival.

On 1 February, the horse obliged in the Scottish Champion Chase as the favourite, with Bryony Frost likely to be on board again at the Festival.

Al Dancer could also line up for the Grand Annual and had that second-place finish in the same race as Lisp, with the seven-year-old not really achieving the early potential which saw him go off joint-favourite to win last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Nigel Twiston-Davies could pitch him into this race and look for the horse to rediscover the sort of form that had everyone wowed when the charge obliged at odds of 5/2 when winning the Betfair Hurdle last season.