Back in the day the Grand Annual used to be the final race of the Festival on Gold Cup Day. It got moved to the Wednesday back in 2021 and was also reduced to a maximum of just 20 runners due to safety reasons.
It is always fiercely competitive and has produced some big priced winners down the years. Owner JP McManus has done well in the race winning it four times and has had the runner-up nine times as well so look out for his famous silks!
- Date: Wednesday, March 12th 2025
- Time: 4.40pm
My quick picks for the Grand Annual Challenge
- Firefox – 8/1 with bet365
- The King Of Prs – 10/1 with bet365
- So Scottish – 11/1 with Sky Bet
Cheltenham 4.40 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase – Key stats and trends
Age
- 9 of the last 12 winners were aged between 7 and 9
- 3 of the last 7 winners were aged 7
Price
- 2 of the last 12 winners were favourites
- 3 of the last 12 winners were in the top 3 in the betting
- 9 of the last 12 winners were priced 10/1 or bigger
Form
- 1 of the last 12 winners won on their last run before the Grand Annual
- 9 of the last 12 winners ran within the last 92 days
- 9 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous run at Cheltenham
- 4 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 win at Cheltenham
Rating
- 11 of the last 12 winners had a rating of 138 or higher
- 2 of the last 12 winners were rated 150 or higher
Other pointers
- 8 of the last 11 winners carried 11 stone or more
- 8 of the last 19 winners had run in the race previously
Grand Annual Chase preview & tips
The Grand Annual is always a fascinating spectacle and this year looks no different. It is ridiculously competitive so it probably won’t surprise you that I like 3 against the field.
The best of them is one towards the top of the market in FIREFOX for Gordon Elliott. This horse was classy over hurdles and he has done nothing wrong since going over fences. He made a winning chase debut at Down Royal and has since bumped into some very smart horses including behind Majborough at Leopardstown last month.
He potentially has a bit in hand off a mark of 149 and if he gets on the pace and jumps well I can see him going close.
Each way angle? More than one?
Another one that catches the eye is THE KING OF PRS for Gavin Cromwell. This 7yo has returned an improved invidious this term going close on reappearance at Fairyhouse before missing just half a length at Leopardstown and then winning well last time.
He beat Path D’oroux by nearly 3 lengths which was a good effort and despite being 8lb higher could still be off a good mark and comes out well on trends. McManus horses are always worth a second look in the Grand Annual so I’ve had to cover SO SCOTTISH for Emmet Mullins too at a double-figure price.
He has been out of form on both starts over hurdles this season but freshened up and back over fences with a good racing weight he could be a lurker in here.
My picks:
- FIREFOX
- Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- Form: 4211-114322-1323
- Age: 7
- Weight: 11-5
Bet on Firefox to win the Grand Annual Chase at 8/1 with bet365
- THE KING OF PRS
- Trainer: Gavin Cromwell
- Form: 1311915-61F139411136F4-231
- Age: 7
- Weight: 10-7
Bet on The King of Prs to win the Grand Annual Chase at 10/1 with bet365
3. SO SCOTTISH
- Trainer: Emmet Mullins
- Form: 3-14495671021112-7U-4F411142452-714
- Age: 8
- Weight: 10-8
Bet on So Scottish to win the Supreme Novice at 11/1 with Sky Bet
Last 12 winners of the Grand Annual Handicap Chase
| Year | Horse | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Alderwood | Thomas Mullins | Tony McCoy |
| 2014 | Savello | Tony Martin | Davy Russell |
| 2015 | Next Sensation | Michael Scudamore | Tom Scudamore |
| 2016 | Solar Impulse | Paul Nicholls | Sam Twiston-Davies |
| 2017 | Rock The World | Jessica Harrington | Robbie Power |
| 2018 | Le Prezien | Paul Nicholls | Barry Geraghty |
| 2019 | Croco Bay | Ben Case | Kielan Woods |
| 2020 | Chosen Mate | Gordon Elliott | Davy Russell |
| 2021 | Sky Pirate | Jonjo O’Neill | Nick Scholfield |
| 2022 | Global Citizen | Ben Pauling | Kielan Woods |
| 2023 | Maskada | Henry de Bromhead | Darragh O’Keeffe |
| 2024 | Unexpected Party | Dan Skelton | Harry Skelton |
More Cheltenham opportunities:
- Cheltenham 2025 free bets and betting offers
- Cheltenham ante-post tips
- Cheltenham 2025 Cheat sheet
- Champion Hurdle tips
- Stayer’s Hurdle tips
- Champion Chase tips
- Arkle Chase tips
- Supreme Novice tips
About the author
Joe Norris
I’m Joe Norris, co-founder and Director of GetYourTipsOut (GYTO), which I launched in 2009 to provide daily sports betting tips, with the main focus on horse racing. Over the years, I’ve earned a reputation for offering reliable and profitable tips, which led to being named “Best Sports Betting Tipster” in 2023. Alongside my work at GYTO, I also contribute predictions to platforms like Oddschecker, allowing me to share my insights with a wide community of sports enthusiasts and bettors.
Find Joe on X: @JoeNorrisGYTO
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