Grand Annual Handicap Chase Trends for 2026 Cheltenham Festival

By Mark Fordham

Feb 13th, 2026 7:45 AM EST

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2026 Grand Annual Handicap Chase Trends

Need some help finding the winner of the 2026 edition of the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase at the Cheltenham Festival? Our team of experts at Bookies.com have done the hard work for you by pinpointing the most critical trends and pointers from the last 10 renewals in order to help you find the winner of this ultra-competitive two-mile handicap when making your selections at horse racing betting sites.

The last 10 winners:

• Were not top weight - just one made the first four
• Had not run more than eight times in the last 12 months
• Had run in either a Graded race previously
• Had won on a left-handed track
• Had won at least one chase
• Last ran at least 30 days ago
• Rated between 135-152

Nine of the last 10 winners:

• Carried no more than 11st 6lb (exception Le Prezien, 11st 8lbs)
• Had not won more than three chases (12-year-old Croco Bay won four)
• Did not win last time out, though four of the last seven winners did finish in the first three (winner was Chosen Mate).
• Had run at least twice that season (Croco Bay)
• Featured fourth or lower on the weights list after declarations (Unexpected Party)
• Had won at least twice on a racecourse described as 'galloping' (Unexpected Party)

Eight of the last 10 winners:

• Were NOT sent off favourite on the day

Seven of the last 10 winners:

• Had run at Cheltenham before - three winning (Le Prezien, Croco Bay, Jazzy Matty)

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Key Trials in the Last 10 Years

Winners of this Cheltenham Festival handicap chase come from all sorts of places and generally haven't won in that season, so there are no reliable trials to follow. This is because connections tend not to want to show their hand to the assessor.

In the last five years, the trends have altered dramatically, moving away from winners lining up at the Festival after upwards of three months off and towards them having run within the last two. Three of the last six winners had all run in February, and the two winners, Unexpected Party and Jazzy Matty, had last run in January. 

Handicap chases run at Cheltenham in October, November or December might be a good place to start your research. And don't forget, look back at the last Grand Annual (Croco Bay, winner in 2019, was running in the race for the fourth time), although no horse has won the race more than once since Dulwich in 1976.

Trainer Trends

• Named after his father Johnny, Nicky Henderson loves this race. In the last 10 years, he's four places.
• However, Paul Nicholls is the trainer to follow – he’s previously won this race four times in all, more than any other trainer, including twice in the last 10 years.
• Dan Skelton saddled the 2024 winner and also had a placed horse in 2023 and the second home in 2025.
• Trainers based in Ireland have had their fair share of good fortune in this race too, winning five of the last 10.

Jockey Trends

• In true Cheltenham Festival handicap style, this isn’t a race that tends to be dominated by a small group of riders.
• Only Kielan Woods has won the Grand Annual more than once in the last 10 years, but it does tend to go to a professional, rather than a claiming rider.

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How Did the Trends do Last Year?

Second home Unexpected Party was a top trends pick being the defending champion with only 11st 2lbs to carry, Grade 1 and 2 runs in the recent past and wins had come at a galloping left-handed track.

Winner Jazzy Matty was a very solid pick, as he was carrying just 10st 7lbs, with a previous win at Cheltenham on his CV. He had won more than most previous winners in the season, but he was certainly on the shortlist.

2025 Grand Annual Handicap Chase Result

Who Fits The Trends Best In 2026?

This is a tricky event, like all Cheltenham handicaps, particularly before the weights have been announced, but applying the trends does whittle the current entries down to a few key picks at Cheltenham betting sites: Last year's winner Jazzy Matty might even be a better trends pick this year than last. Having not come close to winning since last year, his weight will remain low and plays into the horses that have not won that season leading into the Festival.

Jasko Des Dames looks like a good choice too, having last run in February and previously raced in the Grand Annual. Will be rated in the mid-130s for the race and has previously won on a left-handed track. Previous winner of two chases and was only fifth in this last year.

2026 Grand Annual Handicap Chase Odds

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Cheltenham Festival 2026 Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day One Trends

• Supreme Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Arkle Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Trends
• Ultima Handicap Chase Trends
• Cheltenham Champion Hurdle Trends
• Cheltenham Festival Plate Handicap Trends
• National Hunt Novices' Chase Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day Two Trends

• Turners Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Brown Advisory Novices' Chase Trends
• Coral Cup Trends
• Cheltenham Cross Country Chase Trends
• Cheltenham Champion Chase Trends
• Grand Annual Chase Trends
• Cheltenham Champion Bumper Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day Three Trends

• Cheltenham Mares' Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase
• Cheltenham Mares' Hurdle Trends
• Stayers' Hurdle Trends
• Ryanair Chase Trends
• Pertemps Final Trends
• Kim Muir Handicap Chase Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day Four Trends

• Triumph Hurdle Trends
• County Hurdle Trends
• Mares' Chase Trends
• Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Cheltenham Gold Cup Trends
• Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase Trends
• Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle Trends

About the Author

Mark Fordham

More About Mark

Mark spent over a decade as a sports reporter and editor with Goal.com and Bleacher Report. He is now a Content Editor at Bookies.com covering all manner of sports from the Premier League and cricket to the NBA and NFL, and is our resident EPL tipster. Mark also has years of experience working with all things online casino, and knows a good one from a bad one.

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