Grand Annual

Alderwood - deserving favourite and will no doubt b a lot shorter on the day, winner of the County hurdle last year off a mark of 139, 1lb lower than his chase mark of 140 here. Anything he has done on soft/heavy during the winter is a bonus and would expect him to improve massively for better spring ground as he did last season! 

Ulck du Lin - This race has been his target for a long time and has been minded for it. Has won well last twice but think a 10lb rise for a win over Nozic last time rises him to a high enough mark of 146 and not sure he has anything in hand of that.

Kid Cassidy - A well backed favourite for this race last year off a 2lb higher mark, has had some very eyecatching runs without getting close to the front this season but i feel he is not one to rely on if it came down to a battle!


Now onto the selection:

Rody 14/1 ew Ladbrokes


"Our horse Rody, who runs in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual. His form is as solid as it comes. At Wincanton he beat Rouge Et Blanc - twice a winner since - and then at Warwick he beat Eastlake and Kapga De Cerisy who between them have won their three subsequent races. We haven't raced him again in order to keep his rating at 140."

Massively progressive horse this season winning two out of 3 and rising from 115 to 140 in the handicap!

Started off the season with a good 2 length 2nd behind a race fit Drumshambo on his first run for 10 months off 115

Drumshambo followed up again next twice and when last seen was a good second to Molotof and is now rated 142

Then in December when next seen made no mistake off a 2lb higher mark of 117 when beating Rouge Et Blanc(104)  easily by 4l even though his jumping was nt great late on

- Rouge Et Blanc has easily won on his last two starts and is now rated 28lbs higher on 132

When last seen in January, off a 10lb higher mark of 127, Rody showed he was not yet finished his progression up the ranks with a highly impressive demolition of Eastlake(125) over 2miles at Warwick where his jumping was much improved!

- Eastlake beaten 8l in 2nd won by 6l next time out and now rated 132

- Kapga De Cerisy 8 1/4l behind in 3rd has won impressively on next 2 starts and now rated 140

- The Chazer 15l behind in 4th won next time out

- Jumps Road 17l behind in 5th won over hurdles last time out off 115

As always a highly competitive race but i feel that Rody still has scope for improvement off a mark of 140 given how well his form has worked out, his mark has been minded specifically for this race and offers some decent ew value at 14/1.