Grand Annual

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The Grand Annual is a steeplechase for horses run at Warrnambool during its annual May Carnival. The distance is officially listed as about 5500m although as many sections are run in paddocks with little or no fences. The race is the longest in Australia run on a public course. There are 33 obstacles, more than any other steeplechase in the world. Horse run clockwise and counter-clockwise at various points of the race and features a section in open paddocks. When re-entering the racetrack itself horses turn left on the first lap and right on the second. This has created problems on many occasions when horses have tried to veer left rather than right second time around. Knowledge of the course and stamina are vital to the chances of horse and rider. With the Great Eastern and VRC Grand National it is considered one of the big 3 of Australian distance steeplechase races.