The 2026 Cheltenham Festival is drawing ever nearer, with so much action over the last few weeks informing the markets for championship contests and handicaps alike.
Matty Sutcliffe has been busy with his Cheltenham ante-post column for months now, but as the business end of the advanced betting approaches, he has provided his latest ante-post tip for Cheltenham 2026 below.
His selection this week is set to run in the Grand Annual Handicap Chase over 2m, with course winning form already on his side.
Grand Annual – David’s Well 20/1 1pt EW 3 places
The Grand Annual has often been a race I’ve looked at with a tin foil hat on to unravel a season-long plot, successfully applied when Unexpected Party won the 2023 renewal and lightning very nearly struck twice last season prior to finishing second to Jazzy Matty.
I’ve taken a different view at this stage, as the progressive David’s Well looks to have all the tools required to win a race of this nature. The son of Getaway was fairly modest over hurdles in four efforts, winning one in good style prior to being well beaten on his handicap debut off 108. He returned last season at Leicester on chase debut and was well backed in a five-runner contest to comfortably land the odds. He backed that up at Chepstow next time out, showing an excellent aptitude for chasing in typically softened Chepstow ground.
A small injury kept him off that season, but he immediately made up for lost time at Haydock despite looking fresh throughout, beating the well-backed favourite who won next time out with the pair pulling nicely clear of the third.
He had to prove he could step up to better company at Cheltenham in class two company, but he jumped his rivals into submission from the front with Harry Cobden looking confident from the offset and he had the 153-rated JPR One off the bridle from two out. Cobden pushed the button prior to the last and despite the pair jumping as excellent as each other, David’s Well pulled out more in the final stages and tackled the hill in good style to run out a half-a-length winner. Ten lengths back in third was Triple Trade, who has franked that form since, and despite the RPR mirroring that of Haydock I thought it was a clear career-best that left plenty to work on.
He’s proven he handles the course now, and that race has thrown up Grand Annual form in the past, including with Sky Pirate who landed the double in 2021. A mark of 134 should see him get into the contest off a handy, low racing weight, and given you’ll struggle to see a better jumper over two miles in handicap company, it’s hard not to envisage him being bang there turning for home under a prominent ride.
FAQs: Cheltenham Festival ante-post tips
When & where is the Grand Annual Handicap Chase run?
The Grand Annual will take place on Wednesday 11 March 2026 at 4.40pm at the Cheltenham Festival.
When was this Cheltenham ante-post tip published?
This Cheltenham ante-post tip was published at 10.30am on Tuesday 6 January 2026.
Who is Matty Sutcliffe?
Matty Sutcliffe is one of GG’s newest contributors and is now a regular guest on our flagship Weekend Watch podcast. His angle is value bets, making him a perfect fit for our Cheltenham Festival ante-post series.
Commercial notice: This article on GG.co.uk contains affiliate links. The offers we promote come from operators that we trust and our experts have first-hand experience dealing with. If you open an account through one of these affiliate links then GG will earn revenue. However, we ensure that the money earned goes back into improving and enhancing our coverage of horse racing and other sports, as we look to provide an excellent service to our growing audience.