Tips For Cheltenham - No. 4 Maskada The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase over two miles on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival is traditionally one of the most competitive contests of the week, but last year it was turned into a procession as Henry de Bromhead’s Maskada routed her opposition with a powerful display. Maskada ran out the 6 1/2 lengths winner of the race in 2023 from the talented Dinoblue (currently the odds-on favourite for the Mares Chase on Friday), with the 2022 winner of this race, Global Citizen, a further 3 lengths back in third place. Trainer: Henry de Bromhead Jockey: Darragh O’Keeffe Owner: M K Mariga Recent Form: 101433 Maskada was put away after her Cheltenham victory last season and started back this season with three moderate enough runs in conditions chases at Clonmel, Cork and Naas during a period when her stable was having a relatively quiet spell. Back in a handicap for the first time since this race last year and with her stable banging in the winners in recent weeks, it is likely that Maskada will spring back into life at Cheltenham. Her proven ability to handle the course and distance at Cheltenham is very much in her favour as she attempts to become the first two-time winner of this event since Dulwich completed the feat in 1976. There are a host of potential dangers to Maskada, but one of the more obvious ones is the ante post favourite Saint Roi. He boasts a strong record at the Cheltenham Festival having won the County Hurdle in 2020, finished fourth in the 2022 Champion Hurdle and finished third to stablemate El Fabiolo in last season’s Arkle Chase. He is set to concede just 2lbs to Maskada, but his jumping has been a little suspect this season and he has shown a tendency to jump right at his fences which will be a big negative around here. Saint Roi’s trainer Willie Mullins has never managed to win the Grand Annual before. In contrast to Saint Roi’s good record around Cheltenham, the Ben Pauling-trained contender, Harper’s Brook, has run poorly on each previous visit to the track. A fall, a pull up and a pair of down the field finishes at Cheltenham don’t bode well for the recent Sandown Park winner. A bigger danger could turn out to be Harry Fry’s lightly-raced In Excelsis Deo who would have most likely won the Sandown race against Harper’s Brook, but for unseating his rider at the final fence, and he had a couple of decent spins around Cheltenham before the turn of year. If Maskada turns up on Wednesday in the same form she did last year it will take a big performance from any of her rivals to lower her colours and prevent back-to-back triumphs in the race for her connections. 18+ Play Responsibly dunlewey.org Read about the other tips in this series No. 1 Lossiemouth No. 2 Embassy Gardens No. 3 Meetingofthewaters
