Grand Annual Chase - Cheltenham Day 4

Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase – Cheltenham Day 4

17.30 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase

With just two winning Grand Annual favourites since 2004 it’s a tough race to call but again brings about value bets. It favours horses under the age of 10 and those who have had a bit of previous form around here.

Together with horses aged under ten and form on the Cheltenham course, this could be the areas to look in the Cheltenham finale for 2016.

Let’s check the stats and trends for this one….

Rated under 140
Previous Course winners or places
- 5 of last 9 had run in this previously (Bold Henry, Eastlake, Next Sensation, Dresden (F)…..
Nicholls or Henderson runners

Preview……..

NEXT SENSATION has taken an almost identical route to winning this race last year and off just 1lb higher in the weights ranks a great chance to go close in following up.

Bold Henry blows hot and cold and on one of his good days would go close based on his beating of Arthurs Oak at Sandown.

Dresden is a notebooker, though fell here last year and doesn’t really handle Cheltenham very well?

EASTLAKE ran a cracker last year in this to finish second to Next Sensation off a mark of 145 and he seems to thrive in big-field handicap chases. He ran really well at Newbury’s Hennessy meeting and he could go one better this year.

Seeing that Tuesday was a nine point day…..we will have 11 today and a final shot with…..

SIZING CODELCO ran Shaneshill a good second LTO in a two-mile novices’ chase at Naas jumping superbly. An impressive winner of his beginners’ chase at Listowel in September he will go well on this better ground.

Suggested bets….

NEXT SENSATION 0.5pt EW @ 9/1 with SkyBet in the Grand Annual

EASTLAKE 0.5pt EW @ 12/1 with Bet365 in the Grand Annual

SIZING CODELCO 0.5pt EW @ 12/1 with BetVictor in theGrand Annual