Take note people - this is the one the forum's favourite trainer likes to win, as it is named after his dear old dad. It also saw possibly the greatest ride ever by a NH jockey when Paul Carberry tiptoed round on bridle horse Bellvano to mug Tanks For That after the last - a moment captured in my lovely Avatar The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase is a Grade 3 National Hunt chase which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 110 yards, and during its running there are fourteen fences to be jumped. The Grand Annual is the oldest race at the Festival, and it is also the oldest chase in the present National Hunt calendar. It was first run in April 1834, and it was initially contested over three miles of open country at Andoversford, near Cheltenham. The race was discontinued in the 1860s, but it was revived at the turn of the century. During the early 1900s it took place at several different venues, including Melton Mowbray, Leicester and Warwick. It returned to Cheltenham in 1913. The name of Johnny Henderson (1920â2003), a banker and racehorse owner, was added to the race's title in 2005. Henderson, the father of trainer Nicky, realised in the early 1960s that the racecourse at Cheltenham was attracting the interest of property developers. To safeguard its future, and that of the Festival, Henderson and other Jockey Club members formed the Racecourse Holdings Trust, and raised £240,000 to purchase the venue. The running order of the races at the Cheltenham Festival was altered slightly in 2009, and the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase is now the last event on the final day. Full entries with weights here. Latest prices from Oddschecker here.
Ted Veale is all the rage on the betting for this and Tony Martin certainly knows how to place them here.
Yep, 20/1 and I'd given up all hope down the back straight, he was so far back. Couldn't believe how he came down the hill motionless, came round the bend motionless, closed between the 2nd last and last (still motionless) and then coaxed the horse to mow down Tanks For That after the last. Really shows how a race can change up that hill. I think RV was on him as well
This is interesting, Ted Veale looks an obvious starting point, but with Kid Cassidy likely to run in the QMCC and Champion Court more likely for the Ryanair or the like, I think we will see French Opera once again topping the weights, and TV will be into the 11st 4lb area. The one I really would love to see sneak in towards the bottom of the weights is Paul Nicholls horse, Dark Lover, who I think would appreciate this return to shorter distance and the big field should suit. He was rated 11lb higher than his mark over hurdles and I think he is a nice enough horse to return to winning ways in a handicap like this. He is guarenteed a run in the novice handicap on Tuesday though, and that may tip them into running in that race (needs some to come out of Grand Annual)
I've been saying for months that I think there is a good thing in this heat and a real plot horse to boot who hasn't run over the big 'uns since 1 August 2013 in order to protect his very lenient looking perch of 137 for this very heat. That animal in question is CHANGING THE GUARD trained by the old boy Doctor. He won 2 novice chases very easily at God's own racecourse, Newton Abbot, last summer before running creditably in a valuable novice heat at Galway against some very classy types. Given a spin over hurdles earlier in the month he should now be spot on for the Festival's 'lucky last' and 33's looks an unbelievable price. My only reservations are that he needs a few to come out in order to guarantee a run whilst Next Sensation could also be ridiculously well in here off just 142.
