5.15 GRAND ANNUAL CHASE: RACE PREVIEW

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THE Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase Challenge Cup is the very last race of the Cheltenham Festival. It's one of those races that offers those run of the mill handicappers who run the minimum distance of just over two miles an opportunity to have their glory.

Alderwood, last year's County Hurdle winner off a pound higher mark, is an obvious favourite and must have a terrific chance if taking up this option (holds two other entries at the meeting). He is a novice over fences this season but, as in 2012, Mullins has opted to go the handicap route with him.

Kid Cassidy, a well-beaten favourite in this last year, is again one of the top contenders for this race. He has caught the eye at Aintree and here this season, coming in for an extraordinary negative ride both times and seems sure to be laid out for this. His jumping is sometimes a problem but the fast pace should help him settle and he can pounce up the hill.

Anquetta, who has had just the one run this term, has a fair record when fresh and finished fourth in this last year, but the suspicion at the time was that his mark pretty much summed him up and a 1 lb drop in the weights is unlikely to be enough.

Shooters Woodhas already won two Cheltenham handicaps this season. The lightly raced nine-year-old failed to cut much ice in the Game Spirit won by Wishfull Thinking at Newbury last time, but remains on a realistic mark.

Ulck Du Lin has had a great season winning handicaps at Newbury and Ascot with his official rating rising from 126 to 146. Despite his rise in the weights, he remains on a workable mark. Only five, he has a bright future and is capable of further improvement.

Tetlami, which was fancied to go close in the Supreme Novices' last year but could only manage to finish ninth, has hit the mark on two of his three starts since being sent over fences, understandably unable to cope with Overturn at Musselburgh when tasting defeat.

Viva Colonia suffered a suspensory injury last year. Transferred from David O’Meara to Brian Ellison following his chasing debut at Wetherby in December, he has won twice over fences at Musselburgh since. Even though those wins were gained over two and a half miles, the eight year old has enough speed for the minimum trip and is a very quick jumper.

Tanks For That has had this race as his main target for the last two seasons. He was a disappointment in 2011 but ran a cracker last year, jumping and travelling well close to the pace.

Petit Robin recently finished a brave second to Cause of Causes in the Ladbroke at Ascot and fifth in the Betfair at Newbury.

Shangani showed bags of toe around speed-favouring track Catterick last time. He's a bold-jumping winner over two miles on heavy ground at Sandown previously (runner-up Olympian Boy franked the form by winning there next time). Anyway he also holds entries in a couple of 2m5f races in the Festival.

There a lot of horses with good chance to find glory here: Desert Cry, Savello and French Opera are some names.

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