46 entries have been made for the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual, the 2m handicap chase run on the Wednesday of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. The race is usually among the most competitive betting heats with favourites going off at much bigger prices than the Grade 1s.
Defending champion Unexpected Party is back to attempt to maintain his crown. The ten-year-old grey scampered clear of the field last season and would race off 6lb higher this term for the Skelton team, while he has largely been more consistent on the whole this term too.
The 2024 runner-up is back too in the shape of Libberty Hunter. Since that effort, Evan Williams’ charge has placed at Graded level on multiple occasions and gone from strength to strength even though he would meet the winner on considerably worse terms.
The Irish challenge is headed by talented novice Firefox for Gordon Elliott. The seven-year-old finished third in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle a year ago, though one of the most popular runners of the entire week could run for Cian Collins and the visitors too: Jazzy Matty was one of two Cheltenham Festival winners for the late Michael O’Sullivan in 2023.
Other intriguing entries on paper include Springwell Bay, a ready winner over 2m4 1/2f at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, and the 11-year-old Edwardstone, who could revert to handicap company. Alan King’s star claimed the Arkle at the 2022 Festival.
Grand Annual Entries 2025
| Number | Horse | Trainer |
| 1 | American Mike | Gordon Elliott |
| 2 | An Peann Dearg | Paul Nolan |
| 3 | Asta La Pasta | Dan Skelton |
| 4 | Cabhfuilfungi | Kerry Lee |
| 5 | Calico | Dan Skelton |
| 6 | Conyers Hill | Paul Nolan |
| 7 | Dancing On My Own | Henry De Bromhead |
| 8 | Dee Capo | Gordon Elliott |
| 9 | Dr T J Eckleburg | Evan Williams |
| 10 | Editeur Du Gite | Gary & Josh Moore |
| 11 | Edwardstone | Alan King |
| 12 | Firefox | Gordon Elliott |
| 13 | First Street | Nicky Henderson |
| 14 | Fringill Dike | Jedd O’Keeffe |
| 15 | Gaelic Arc | John Patrick Ryan |
| 16 | General Medrano | Emma Lavelle |
| 17 | Gunsight Ridge | Olly Murphy |
| 18 | Ha d’Or | Willie Mullins |
| 19 | Harper’s Brook | Dan Skelton |
| 20 | Hunters Yarn | Willie Mullins |
| 21 | Hypotenus | Joe Tickle |
| 22 | Jasko Des Dames | Henry De Bromhead |
| 23 | Jazzy Matty | Cian Collins |
| 24 | JPR One | Joe Tizzard |
| 25 | Kalif Du Berlais | Paul Nicholls |
| 26 | Libberty Hunter | Evan Williams |
| 27 | Martator | Venetia Williams |
| 28 | Midnight It Is | Gavin Cromwell |
| 29 | My Mate Mozzie | Gavin Cromwell |
| 30 | Nells Son | Nicky Richards |
| 31 | Path d’Oroux | Gavin Cromwell |
| 32 | Pinkerton | Noel Meade |
| 33 | Primoz | Lucinda Russell |
| 34 | Sa Fureur | Gordon Elliott |
| 35 | San Salvador | Joseph O’Brien |
| 36 | Sans Bruit | Paul Nicholls |
| 37 | So Scottish | Emmet Mullins |
| 38 | Springwell Bay | Jonjo & AJ O’Neill |
| 39 | The King Of Prs | Gavin Cromwell |
| 40 | The Other Mozzie | Gavin Cromwell |
| 41 | Third Time Lucki | Fergal O’Brien |
| 42 | Touch Me Not | Gordon Elliott |
| 43 | Traprain Law | Lucinda Russell |
| 44 | Unexpected Party | Dan Skelton |
| 45 | Western Zephyr | Charlie Longsdon |
| 46 | What’s Up Darling | Gordon Elliott |