You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident youâre betting with more than just gut instinct.
2027 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Preview
First run in 1834, it actually predates the Festival itself. It is a handicap chase over two miles, one hundred and ten yards, with fourteen fences to negotiate on the new course at Cheltenham. The Grand Annual Chase is the oldest race at the festival and in 2021 moved to a new Wednesday slot, having been moved from the Friday to make way for the Mares Chase.
Since 1946, only two runners have recorded dual wins in the race: Top Twenty, who won in 1958 & 1959 and then Dulwich in 1974 & 1976.
Gain an edge on the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual by examining our detailed insights into previous race trends and trainer statistics, then check out our list of free bets for Cheltenham.
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Information:
- Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Past Winners
- Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Trainer Statistics
- Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Jockey Statistics
Our dedicated Cheltenham tips page will not only bring you predictions from the OLBG racing tipsters for the upcoming card that includes the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual, but will also have predictions for each meeting at Cheltenham throughout the season, so be sure to head over there. We cover every race at the Cheltenham Festival, and below you can find links to all of the races for each of Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026
How competitive is the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2021, when the race had an over-round of 126%. The race in 2017 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 136%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual, the over-round has been 132%, which means the bookie expects to pay out ÂŁ100 for every ÂŁ132 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2027 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Johnny Henderson Grand Annual races over the last 20 renewals:
- Oiseau De Nuit (3:52.80) in 2011
- Martator (3:52.93) in 2026
- Sky Pirate (3:55.44) in 2021
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual next time out, then you would have backed a total of 1 winner. Backing all 19 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -11.00. Before placing your bet on the 2027 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual, see which other runners today are being backed on the racing predictions page.
When looking over the past 20 renewals, a time of 3:52.80 was set by Oiseau De Nuit in 2011, trained by Colin Tizzard and ridden by Mr S Clements, which is the quickest time over that period. The slowest winning time was set in 2018 when Le Prezien won in a time of 4:21.80 for trainer Paul Nicholls, who booked Barry Geraghty in the saddle.
What the expert says...
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Past Winners
Here are the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the year of the race, the horse that won, and the horse's age & weight. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 3:52.93 | Martator (FR) 9yo 10-12 66/1 | Charlie Deutsch Venetia Williams (GB) |
| 2025 3:59.51 | Jazzy Matty (FR) 6yo 10-7 15/2 | Danny Gilligan Cian Collins (IRE) |
| 2024 4:12.76 | Unexpected Party (FR) 9yo 10-10 12/1 | Harry Skelton Dan Skelton (GB) |
| 2023 4:03.00 | Maskada (FR) 7yo 11-1 22/1 | Darragh O'Keeffe Henry De Bromhead (IRE) |
| 2022 4:12.98 | Global Citizen (IRE) 10yo 10-6 28/1 | Kielan Woods Ben Pauling (GB) |
| 2021 3:55.44 | Sky Pirate (GB) 8yo 11-6 14/1 | Nick Scholfield Jonjo O'Neill (GB) |
| 2020 4:07.90 | Chosen Mate (IRE) 7yo 11-4 7/2F | Davy Russell Gordon Elliott (IRE) |
| 2019 4:05.29 | Croco Bay (IRE) 12yo 10-12 66/1 | Kielan Woods Ben Case (GB) |
| 2018 4:21.80 | Le Prezien (FR) 7yo 11-8 15/2 | Barry Geraghty Paul Nicholls (GB) |
| 2017 4:01.40 | Rock The World (IRE) 9yo 11-5 10/1 | Robbie Power Mrs John Harrington (IRE) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual have been based:
- GB: 13 winners with an additional 40 placings from 295 runners
- IRE: 7 winners with an additional 19 placings from 103 runners
- FR: 0 winners with an additional 1 placing from 6 runners
2026 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Replay
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual over the last 20 renewals is Paul Nicholls, who has won the race three times, with those three winners coming from Andreas (2007), Solar Impulse (2016) and Le Prezien (2018). Two trainers have not had the best of times over the last 20 renewals in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual. David Pipe has sent a total of 11 runners to the race without recording any wins, whilst Philip Hobbs has sent out 10 without a winner.
Here are some of the top Johnny Henderson Grand Annual trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Nicholls | 31-3-6 | +19.50 | +6.07 |
| Nicky Henderson | 32-1-9 | -11.00 | -1.74 |
| Venetia Williams | 19-1-5 | +48.00 | +32.13 |
| Henry De Bromhead | 18-1-1 | +5.00 | -3.25 |
| Dan Skelton | 17-1-4 | -4.00 | -2.18 |
| Jonjo O'Neill | 13-1-3 | +2.00 | +0.25 |
| Alan King | 13-1-2 | -5.00 | -5.12 |
| Gordon Elliott | 12-1-4 | -7.50 | -5.58 |
| Nigel Twiston-Davies | 10-1-2 | +7.00 | +5.63 |
| Mrs John Harrington | 7-1-2 | +4.00 | +1.31 |
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Jockey Statistics
The leading jockey in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual over the last 20 renewals is Kielan Woods, who has won the race two times, with those two winners coming from Croco Bay (2019) and Global Citizen (2022).
Here are some of the top Johnny Henderson Grand Annual jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kielan Woods | 8-2-3 | +88.00 | +55.00 |
| Sam Twiston-Davies | 11-1-1 | +18.00 | +7.50 |
| Harry Skelton | 10-1-3 | +3.00 | +1.19 |
| Darragh O'Keeffe | 6-1-1 | +17.00 | +8.75 |
| Charlie Deutsch | 5-1-3 | +62.00 | +40.13 |
| Nick Scholfield | 4-1-1 | +11.00 | +5.75 |
| Danny Gilligan | 2-1-2 | +6.50 | +5.19 |
| Harry Cobden | 9-0-2 | -9.00 | -6.62 |
| Mark Walsh | 9-0-2 | -9.00 | -6.70 |
| Brendan Powell | 7-0-1 | -7.00 | -2.37 |
2027 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 6, 2, 8, PU, 7, 12, 1, (2, 3), (4, PU), 3, 8, F, 10, 1, F, 2, 2, 4, 2, 12
The percentage shown is the proportion of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (77%) - Had 3 - 7 wins (Career)
- 20 / 20 (80%) - Carried 153 - 166lbs (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Ran over 1m2f - 2m4f (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (84%) - Off a break of 26 - 227 days
- 20 / 20 (86%) - No bigger than 8/1 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Ran in 2 - 25 races (Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Ran in 1 - 8 races (1 Year)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Fewer than 4 placings (Season)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Highest Run is not LST/Cl2-3
- 19 / 20 (80%) - No bigger than 41/1 (Debut)
- 18 / 20 (76%) - Won by at least 1½l (Last Win)
- 18 / 20 (80%) - Carried no more than 159lbs
- 18 / 20 (85%) - No bigger than 25/1 (Career Place)
- 17 / 20 (76%) - Achieved a TS of 129+ (Career)
- 17 / 20 (80%) - Achieved an RPR of 140+ (Last 5)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Cheltenham racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over ÂŁ6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Trend Analysis
â The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +198.00, is when runners had 0 wins in the past year.
â The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had 4 career places in Jumps (Chase) races, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-52.
The courses that have produced the most winners of the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual are Sandown and Cheltenham; there have been a total of 3 winners from each of those courses.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 19 winners from a total of 396 runners, while female runners have produced 1 winner from a total of 8 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, there is only one stallion whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual; that stallion, Martaline, has produced 2 winners (2026,2024).
These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual despite multiple attempts:
- Beneficial (0 Wins from 16 runners)
- Presenting (0 Wins from 10 runners)
- Doyen (0 Wins from 9 runners)
- Kayf Tara (0 Wins from 8 runners)
- Kapgarde (0 Wins from 6 runners)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Martator in 2026, winning for Venetia Williams at odds of 66/1 under the guidance of Charlie Deutsch. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 2 winning favourites in the race. Remember to bookmark the best racing tipsters page so you can get easy access to the best OLBG racing tipsters.
Route to the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2026 - Martator Sandown - UR of 11 (23/1) | Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap Chase |
| 2025 - Jazzy Matty Thurles - 2nd of 9 (11/1) | Horse & Jockey Handicap Hurdle |
| 2024 - Unexpected Party Cheltenham - 9th of 12 (25/1) | Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase |
| 2023 - Maskada Leopardstown - 11th of 23 (5/1) | Dublin Racing Festival Handicap Chase |
| 2022 - Global Citizen Sandown - 3rd of 5 (14/1) | Virgin Bet Contenders Hurdle |
| 2021 - Sky Pirate Warwick - 2nd of 4 (3/1) | Agetur UK Kingmaker Novices Chase |
| 2020 - Chosen Mate Gowran Park - 1st of 9 (6/1) | Daly Farrell Chartered Accountants Beginners Chase |
| 2019 - Croco Bay Worcester - 2nd of 5 (14/1) | Pershore Plum Festival Land OPlums Handicap Chase |
| 2018 - Le Prezien Cheltenham - 8th of 10 (9/2) | December Gold Cup |
| 2017 - Rock The World Cheltenham - 11th of 14 (8/1) | Cheltenham Showcase Meeting Handicap Chase |
Schedule for Tuesday at the Cheltenham Festival
Prepare for the ROAR of the Cheltenham Festival on the opening day, when the tape goes up for the Supreme Novices Hurdle. The feature on Tuesday is the Champion Hurdle.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Cheltenham Supreme Novices Hurdle | Old Park Star (IRE) 6yo - 15/8 | Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville |
| 14:00 Cheltenham Arkle Challenge Trophy | Kargese (FR) 6yo - 7/1 | W P Mullins Danny Mullins |
| 14:40 Cheltenham Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle | Saratoga (IRE) 4yo - 10/1 | Padraig Roche Mark Walsh |
| 15:20 Cheltenham Ultima Handicap Chase | Johnnywho (IRE) 9yo - 18/1 | Jonjo & A J O'Neill Richie McLernon |
| 16:00 Cheltenham Champion Hurdle | Lossiemouth (FR) 7yo - 7/5 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 16:40 Cheltenham Festival Plate | Madara (FR) 7yo - 3/1 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
| 17:20 Cheltenham National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup | Holloway Queen (IRE) 6yo - 12/1 | Nicky Henderson James Bowen |
Schedule for Wednesday at the Cheltenham Festival
The dust has settled on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, and now on to day two. The feature on the second day is the Queen Mother Champion Chase. We also have the cross country scheduled on Wednesday, a race like Marmite, some love it, and some don't!
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Cheltenham Turners Novices Hurdle | King Rasko Grey (FR) 6yo - 11/1 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 14:00 Cheltenham Brown Advisory Novices Chase | Kitzbuhel (FR) 6yo - 11/1 | W P Mullins Harry Cobden |
| 14:40 Cheltenham BetMGM Cup | Jingko Blue (FR) 7yo - 9/2 | Nicky Henderson James Bowen |
| 15:20 Cheltenham Cross Country Chase | Final Orders (GB) 10yo - 7/1 | Gavin Cromwell Conor Stone-Walsh |
| 16:00 Cheltenham Queen Mother Champion Chase | Il Etait Temps (FR) 8yo - 5/2 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 16:40 Cheltenham Johnny Henderson Grand Annual | Martator (FR) 9yo - 66/1 | Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch |
| 17:20 Cheltenham Champion Bumper | The Mourne Rambler (IRE) 5yo - 15/2 | Noel Meade Colin Keane |
Schedule for Thursday at the Cheltenham Festival
Halfway through the festival and onto day three, where the Stayers Hurdle is the feature race. A hurdle race to test the stamina and see how can last up the Cheltenham hill.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Cheltenham Mares Novices Hurdle | White Noise (IRE) 6yo - 40/1 | Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls Tom Bellamy |
| 14:00 Cheltenham Novices Limited Handicap Chase | Meetmebythesea (IRE) 6yo - 9/1 | Ben Pauling Ben Jones |
| 14:40 Cheltenham Close Brothers Mares Hurdle | Wodhooh (FR) 6yo - 5/6 | Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy |
| 15:20 Cheltenham Stayers Hurdle | Home By The Lee (IRE) 11yo - 33/1 | Joseph Patrick O'Brien J J Slevin |
| 16:00 Cheltenham Ryanair Chase | Heart Wood (FR) 8yo - 9/2 | Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe |
| 16:40 Cheltenham Pertemps Network Final | Supremely West (IRE) 8yo - 100/30 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
| 17:20 Cheltenham Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup | Ask Brewster (IRE) 7yo - 22/1 | Mrs C Williams Mr S Cotter |
Schedule for Friday at the Cheltenham Festival
The final day of the festival and the feature race that we have all been waiting for, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which the Irish have been fairly dominant in recent years.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Cheltenham Triumph Hurdle | Apolon De Charnie (FR) 4yo - 50/1 | W P Mullins Mr P W Mullins |
| 14:00 Cheltenham County Handicap Hurdle | Wilful (IRE) 7yo - 14/1 | Jonjo & A J O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jr |
| 14:40 Cheltenham Mrs Paddy Power Mares Chase | Dinoblue (FR) 9yo - 11/8 | W P Mullins Mark Walsh |
| 15:20 Cheltenham Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle | Johnnys Jury (IRE) 6yo - 20/1 | Jamie Snowden Gavin Sheehan |
| 16:00 Cheltenham Cheltenham Gold Cup | Gaelic Warrior (GER) 8yo - 11/4 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 16:40 Cheltenham Festival Hunters Chase | Barton Snow (IRE) 9yo - 9/2 | J J O'Shea Mr Henry Crow |
| 17:20 Cheltenham Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle | Air Of Entitlement (IRE) 7yo - 10/1 | Henry De Bromhead Patrick M O'Brien |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Preview are Andy and Darren. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for National Hunt Racing.
Darren Brett
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide
Other Principal Races at the Cheltenham Racecourse
Here are some other notable races at the Cheltenham racecourse throughout the racing season that you may be interested in.
Races in January (Festival Trials Day)
- Cheltenham Trophy Handicap Chase
- Classic Novices' Hurdle
- Cleeve Hurdle
- Cotswold Chase
- International Hurdle
- JCB Triumph Juvenile Hurdle Trial
- Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase
Races in January
Races in April
Races in October (Showcase Meeting)
Races in November (November Meeting)
- Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase
- Hyde Novices' Hurdle
- Shloer Chase
- Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase
- JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle
- Paddy Power Gold Cup
- Greatwood Hurdle
- November Meeting Handicap Chase
