Cheltenham Festival Grand Annual Ante-Post Selection

Sky Pirate - Grand Annual Chase - 9/1

The Cheltenham festival is just nine weeks away and we believe we have found some big value in the Grand Annual Chase and have put it up as an ante-post selection.

SKY PIRATE is our selection for Jonjo O'Neill with the eight year old looking certain to head to this contest and sure to be much shorter in the betting before the start of the race.

During the eight year olds career he has been slightly frustrating, being tried at the wrong distances, but last time out when sent over two miles for the first time in his career, he looked unstoppable.

The gelding won a Handicap Chase by close to four lengths, never coming off the bridle and that came over the same course and distance as the Grand Annual.

The form of that race has since been franked with Ibleo for Venetia Williams who finished second that day has since gone on to win a similar event next time out.

Although going up in the weights for that run he looked to have bundles in hand when winning in December and now sticking at two miles seems to be the making of him.

He has been largely consistent over his career without threatening to be special but now that has all changed and 9/1 looks a big price for him in the race that now takes place on the Wednesday of the meeting.