Keith Melrose evaluates the alternatives to the favourite in the Grand Annual

4.50 Cheltenham
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase | 2m½f | 5yo+ | New course | RTV

The Grand Annual is less a handicap than an elimination race. The pace tends not to let up and a higher proportion of mistakes are race-ending. This is possibly why so many winners had already had a previous try in the race.

Which is not to say that punters should suspend all rules of handicap betting. Aside from anything else, only two of last year's 19 runners are back and both are now teenagers.

The lack of truly progressive sorts in the Grand Annual only makes them a more precious commodity. When Greaneteen won at Musselburgh in February it was not hard to foresee him going off a warm order for this race. That was just his second run over fences and he has since snuck in another win at Fakenham to qualify for this race.

A mark of 150 asks a lot, although Paul Nicholls' last winner of the race, Le Prezien, won off the same mark and was more exposed. Nicholls also trained the first two home in the Champion Chase, so is well placed to know whether he has a graded-class two-mile chaser on his hands.

Provisional second-favourite Lisp has not convinced to the same extent with his jumping, so the main threats could come from slightly more experienced types – including Lisp's stablemate Ballywood.

Us And Them was second in last year's Arkle and looks well handicapped. Theinval has twice been placed in this race off the same mark and coming back from a similar sort of break. Winter Escape, who gave A Plus Tard a stone and a beating 14 months ago, runs off 144.

There are plenty that have been aimed at the race. Greaneteen will have to be as good as he has looked to justify his odds.
Keith Melrose, betting editor

What they say

Jonjo O’Neill, trainer of Great Field
He’s settled in well but looks high in the handicap for an old horse and he's not run particularly well in the last two years.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Marracudja and Two Taffs
This is Marracudja's first run since going up 11lb for his Clarence House run, and that is what it is now. It means he’s running off an inflated handicap mark, but we’ll see how it goes. Two Taffs was one I thought was worth a go in this as he’s been running well over two and a half miles without quite managing to win. Coming back to a fast-run two miles at a stiff course could be interesting for him.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Capeland and Greaneteen
Capeland’s been working with Politologue for the last six or eight weeks and seeing what happened in the Champion Chase gives me a bit more hope about his chances. What he does really like is those big handicaps rather than the graded races as they go flat out and jumping counts. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ran a big race. Greaneteen has won three fairly soft races on small tracks, so he has to improve. He’s a nice horse and has a good profile.

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Paloma Blue and Jan Maat
Paloma Blue's a good, consistent horse who ran really well around here in the Supreme a few years ago. He ran very well at Leopardstown last time and seems in good form, as does Jan Maat who's a very good horse on his day.

Fergal O’Brien, trainer of Gino Trail
We were delighted with him at Doncaster and he’s been a great horse for his owner Jan Smith and previously when with Kerry Lee. We’ve been lucky to get him. This is a big ask but there were not many other options and he has good course form.

Gino Trail: recent winner on debut for Fergal O'Brien at DoncasterCredit: Grossick Racing

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Eclair De Beaufeu and Chosen Mate
Eclair De Beaufeu won a big handicap at Leopardstown last time. He's a classy sort of horse who's going nicely at home. We've had this race in mind for quite a while for him. Chosen Mate was a smart hurdler and got it together over fences at Gowran. He beat a subsequent winner and he has a big each-way chance despite lacking experience in a big handicap.

Alan King, trainer of Lisp and Ballywood
Lisp has been been aimed at this race for a long time. He's tough and in rude health. He was fifth in the County Hurdle last year and runs off a lower mark, despite having taken well to fences. They usually go very fast in the Grand Annual but he jumps well and just needs to get into a rhythm. He'll cope whatever the ground is while the more it dries out the better it will be for Ballywood, who's been running well in conditions that have been too soft for him. He could go well if the going is more in his favour here.

Croco Bay: winner of the Grand Annual last yearCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Ben Case, trainer of Croco Bay
We hope the ground keeps drying. He’s in as good form as he was going into this last year and ran really well at Doncaster last time. He has a few more pounds but I’m hopeful he’ll be there or thereabouts. Lightning doesn’t strike twice very often but it would be great if it did!

Jamie Snowden, trainer of Adrrastos
He’s in great form after a good win at Kempton and the Topham Chase is a main aim for him and will suit him well. Ease in the ground is a concern.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Theinval
He's having his annual run in the race. It might be soft enough for him but he gets better the more work he has and he's in good shape.

Spotlight verdict

Greaneteen has made a terrific impression over fences but he does race freely and is taking a step into the unknown on this stiff track. He is still one of the more likely ones but there are good alternatives elsewhere, with Eclair De Beaufeu just preferred as he has the big advantage of having already proved himself in big-field handicaps, both in the County Hurdle here and over fences at Leopardstown. Paloma Blue was skittled out of the latter race at the last and would surely have made a fight of it but, although he can have a major case made for him, he doesn't have quite the steady profile of the selection. Lisp has looked quite joyous over fences this winter and he can be a major contender, too. Last year's winner Croco Bay cannot be dismissed either.
Emily Weber

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