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13:30Supreme Novices' Hurdle
14:10Arkle Chase
14:50Ultima Handicap Chase
15:30Champion Hurdle
16:10Mares Hurdle
16:50Boodles Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
17:30National Hunt Chase
13:30Gallagher Novices' Hurdle (Registered as The Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle)
14:10Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
14:50Coral Cup Hurdle
15:30Champion Chase
16:10(ABANDONED) Cross Country Chase
16:50Grand Annual Chase
17:30Champion Bumper
Grand Annual Chase
16:50 Cheltenham Festival
2024-03-13
Winner: £70,337.5
Runners: 16
Going: Soft
No. of hurdles: 13
Distance: 1m7f199y
The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase takes place at 4.50pm on day two. It is often run at a fierce gallop and attracts two-mile handicap specialists. Only two horses, Top Twenty and Dulwich, have won the race twice.
NO.DRAW
FORM
FORM
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HORSE
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ODDS
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JOCKEY& TRAINER
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AGE
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OR
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NR(0)
1-2106
Dancing On My Own
-
T: Henry De Bromhead
10
12-0
156
159
Classy sort who won the Red Rum Handicap at Aintree (good to soft) last spring and added another valuable handicap to his CV when seeing off Triple Trade over C&D (good) in October; below form in the mud at Fairyhouse twice since but any drying of the ground would bring him into the reckoning.
2(0)
4-4345
Saint Roi
-
J: Mark Walsh
T: W P Mullins
9
11-10
152
162
Winner of the County Hurdle at this meeting in 2020 and Grade 1-winning novice chaser last season; has been operating below that level this term but there was some encouragement when fourth of 11 on his 2m1f Fairyhouse handicap chase debut in January and his effort in a Grade 1 since can probably be ignored; good chance this has been the plan all along.
7(0)
1F-242
Calico
-
J: Tristan Durrell
T: Dan Skelton
8
11-1
143
162
Front-runner who was collared only late on by Triple Trade over C&D (good to soft) on reappearance in November; did too much early when fading into a well-held fourth behind Madara here in December and wasted no time showing he's still in good form when second at Doncaster (2m, good) at the end of January; should give it a good shot but this isn't an easy race in which to pull off his forcing tactics.
3(0)
01-433
Maskada
-
J: Darragh O'Keeffe
T: Henry De Bromhead
8
11-8
150
161
Saw off Dinoblue to land this race off 8lb lower on soft 12 months ago; below par when in the frame at Listed/Grade 2 level in her three outings this season but last year's winning form has been consistently advertised by the runner-up and this mare would be a danger to all if recapturing that level.
11(0)
-15549
Unexpected Party
-
J: Harry Skelton
T: Dan Skelton
9
10-10
138
163
Smart efforts in defeat over fences last season and came good in Chepstow Listed race (extended 2m3f, soft) on reappearance; has found life tough in strong handicaps and Graded company since but he has been cut some slack by the handicapper as a result.
16(0)
1722-3
Hardy Du Seuil
-
J: Gavin Sheehan
T: Jamie Snowden
7
10-4
132
163
Had a decent spell over hurdles at the start of last year and returned to fences to finish a creditable third on his 2m Sandown reappearance (soft) four weeks ago, keeping on well from the rear; the cheekpieces he wore at the end of last season are refitted; not discounted.
13(0)
2123-5
Gemirande
-
J: Charlie Deutsch
T: Venetia Williams
8
10-6
134
161
Had a good 2022-23 season, winning twice around 2m4f and placed on four other occasions, including over 2m4f here (second past post but demoted to third) in April on final start; not seen again until fifth in a valuable 2m4f handicap at Newbury 11 days ago, fading as if the outing was needed; down in trip; due to be 2lb lower in future handicaps.
10(0)
15-F11
Libberty Hunter
-
J: Harry Cobden
T: Evan Williams
8
10-11
139
163
Bumper/hurdle winner who has won both completed starts over fences, latterly a 2m handicap on the New Course here (heavy) on New Year's Day; lacks the chase experience of most of these but the upside of his lightly raced profile is that there could be plenty more to come from him.
9(0)
P2-021
Harper's Brook
-
J: Kielan Woods
T: Ben Pauling
8
10-12
140
160
Has thrown a couple of races away by pulling himself up in front and his resolution wasn't tested when effectively gifted the race by the late fall of a rival when dropped back to around 2m at Sandown last month; what he'll find up the hill here remains to be seen but what isn't in doubt is that he has the ability to be in contention at the business end; a first-time visor replaces cheekpieces.
12(0)
-21315
Triple Trade
-
J: Brendan Powell
T: Joe Tizzard
8
10-10
138
159
Overhauled Calico late on over C&D (good to soft) in November and he was the one to profit from Harper's Brook pulling himself up in front at Ascot (2m3f, good) just before Christmas; looked in trouble a long way out and something presumably not right when a remote last of five finishers at Lingfield (2m, soft) in January; freshened up since and his overall profile in the last year or so is positive.
15(0)
7-52P6
Frere D'Armes
-
J: Ciaran Gethings
T: Dan Skelton
7
10-5
133
162
Strong-finishing second at Ascot (2m1f, good) in November but has flopped twice around 2m4f since, latterly in this headgear combination here; back down in trip; the stable's two other runners have more obvious claims.
5(0)
1P-F12
Sa Fureur
-
J: Jack Kennedy
T: Gordon Elliott
7
11-3
145
151
Bombed out when favourite for last season's Coral Cup here but quickly back on track switched to fences this term, taking advantage of Hunter's Yarn's last-fence fall (5l down at time) to win a 2m Fairyhouse beginners' chase in December then good second to Quilixios in a Naas novice (2m, soft); a potential improver on this handicap chase debut and high on the shortlist.
14(0)
-21918
The Folkes Tiara
-
J: Rachael Blackmore
T: Henry De Bromhead
8
10-5
133
153
Gained a first chase success when seeing off nine rivals in a 2m1f handicap at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting, but he was well behind some of today's rivals in a handicap over that same C&D at the Dublin Racing Festival.
8(0)
468F22
Path D'oroux
-
J: Keith Donoghue
T: Gavin Cromwell
7
11-0
142
157
Not always the slickest of jumpers but he's translated his hurdle ability to fences in recent starts, chasing home Hunter's Yarn in a maiden at Fairyhouse before splitting Madara and Solness in a competitive handicap at Leopardstown (2m1f, soft) last month; has first-time cheekpieces combined with the tongue-tie he's worn lately.
17(0)
411136
The King Of Prs
-
J: Sean Flanagan
T: Gavin Cromwell
6
10-4
132
155
Made a bright start over fences with wins in a maiden at Wexford (2m, heavy) and a novice at Limerick (2m1f, soft to heavy) at the end of 2023; creditable third to First Flow in 2m Lingfield handicap (soft) next time but a lesser effort at Thurles since needs forgiving; has first-time cheekpieces added to the tongue-strap he's worn since chasing.
6(0)
82U611
Madara
-
J: James Reveley
T: Sophie Leech
5
11-1
143
156
Has proved an inspired claim by connections, winning over 2m on the New Course here (soft; Calico fourth) in December before seeing off reopposing pair Path D'oroux and Solness to bag a valuable prize at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown (2m1f, soft) under James Reveley last month; the handicapper hasn't missed him but the style of those wins suggests there's more to come from this 5yo.
4(0)
-22513
Solness
-
J: J J Slevin
T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien
6
11-7
149
157
Took it up a notch with a Listed handicap success at Fairyhouse (2m1f, soft) in December and backed that up when third of 11 to Madara at Leopardstown (2m1f, soft; Path D'oroux second) last month; should give another good account.
RACING POST TIP
Madara
A feature of MADARA (nap)'s wins in good handicaps here and at Leopardstown this winter has been the way he's powered clear from the last, suggesting he has more in the locker. Saint Roi (second choice) is well treated on last season's Grade 1 novice chase form and there's a good chance he's been laid out for this, while the unexposed Sa Fureur has a similar profile to Gordon Elliott's 2020 winner Chosen Mate. Last year's winner Maskada is another who could go well, while Harper's Brook is hardly one for maximum faith but there's every chance he'll be bang there at the last.
Verdict
GRAND ANNUAL PREVIOUS WINNERS
| Year | Horse | Previous Form | Age | Price | Trainer | Jockey |
| 2023 | Maskada | 4F10 | 7 | 22-1 | Henry De Bromhead | Darragh O’Keeffe |
| 2022 | Global Citizen | 92023 | 10 | 28-1 | Ben Pauling | Keilan Woods |
| 2021 | Sky Pirate | 25112 | 8 | 14-1 | Jonjo O’Neill | Nick Scholfield |
| 2020 | Chosen Mate | 6-0341 | 7 | 7-2F | Gordon Elliott | Davy Russell |
| 2019 | Croco Bay | 2-9835 | 12 | 66-1 | Ben Case | Kielan Woods |
| 2018 | Le Prezien | 8P-238 | 7 | 15-2 | Paul Nicholls | Barry Geraghty |
| 2017 | Rock The World | 7-2080 | 9 | 10-1 | Jessica Harrington | Robbie Power |
| 2016 | Solar Impulse | 263-3P | 6 | 28-1 | Paul Nicholls | Sam Twiston-Davies |
| 2015 | Next Sensation | 45-604 | 8 | 16-1 | Michael Scudamore | Tom Scudamore |
| 2014 | Savello | 1-3439 | 8 | 16-1 | Tony Martin | Davy Russell |
GRAND ANNUAL KEY TRENDS AND STATS
Key trends
- Distance winner, 10/10
- Carried no more than 11st 6lb, 9/10
- Top-three finish on at least one of last two starts, 9/10
- Aged nine or under, 8/10
- No more than 11 runs over fences, 8/10
- Officially rated 140 to 150, 7/10
- Yet to win that season, 7/10
- Had run at a previous festival, 6/10
- No more than four runs since August, 6/10
Other factors
- Three winners had won at the course – three of the exceptions had been placed in this race previously.
- The record of the previous year’s winner is 00909003.
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WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR - GRAND ANNUAL 2023
Dinoblue was well supported on her handicap debut, and she ran a blinder for one so short of experience but was beaten readily by MASKADA who turned in a personal best. She jumped well and won with plenty in hand.