Handicap Plot Horses 2014

On the subject of this, when are the handicap initial entries out?

Not exactly curve ball, but Ted Veale for the Grand Annual looks a likely one

Martin Pipe HC Hurdle - EDEYMI (again)

Alaivan County Hurdle

Regal Encore Coral Cup

Our Vinnie being saved for the 4 miler (not a handicap I know).....anyone know anything about this horse?

Backed it in Albert Bartlett last seaon brought down, good novice hudle form. Last run in novice chase finished lame behind Champagne Fever,likes it soft. Could be interesting gambling stable.

think king could have some lurking in handicaps as they havent been running, obviously none of them will have ideal preps for a festival handicap but still could do well in some of them

I think King will surprise us all with a couple good winners this year, who knows, one or two might even be in the handicaps!

I for one will defo be keeping a close eye on that stable during that special week of March!

I won't be keeping a close eye on King but will be willing to excuse horses getting stuck in the mud over the winter (assuming it stops raining by March).

McCain is plotting something with Lexi's Boy

Regal Encore - county hurdle??

Coral cup

Milord coral cup,Holywell jolt,and gutted alaivan finished placed today

ned buntaline, grand annual

We are all guessers on here really, know one really knows whats been plotted up until the price on a particular horse has already gone and low and behold everyone knows then it's all about trying to get on at whatever top price is morning of that race and hoping one or two bookies inflates it a little as a special.
Look at Salubrious/Holywell last year, ok some shrewdies might have got 12s or bigger in the weeks leading up to the race, but most of us had to settle for half those odds.

Red Sherlock - Martin Pipe.  They really need to be clever on where it runs next (talked about trials day) but given its opposition so far it must be really hard for an handicapper to get a grip on its form and what its beaten. One of or the best novice in Pipe's yard imo, could be anything and will be having my money wherever it runs.

Wyck Hill Festival Handicap Chase. Rated 133. Beat Katenko 4 lengths off 136 just over a year ago.

STS that's not true. You can spot horses who are being plotted. Especially JP horses as we know he targets the handicaps at the Festival and the handbrake job is applied to many of his runners.

Take the recent example of Cause of Causes for the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown. I explained why he looked totally plotted for the race. He was 25/1 and went off 6/1.

Thread like this is good for pooling people's knowledge. You can then take a look at the horses yourself and make up your own mind.

Regal Encore is a total plot. His last run was very evident of that imo. I'd expect a run next month then Coral Cup or Martin Pipe at festival. Alaivan is another possible for those two races, think 2m of County Hurdle on quick ground might be too sharp.

CUFC - correct me if I'm wrong but I think Alaivan needed a good performance otherwise would be unlikely to get into the County Hurdle. Rated 130 before that, lowest rated horse in last year's County for example was rated 132. IMO, I thought it was perfectly executed, a good second to go up a few lbs and should sneak in towards the bottom of the weights.

Yeah i knew that, i have spotted a couple in the past myself and got on at decent prices, but never for the festival, they were MTOY and Recession Proof, both for the betfair hdl but i thought perhaps at the time that both had been made too obvious and so only had very small bets on both just in case i was right, in both occasions i was right. I religiously read this forum every year for the festival, always good debate and there are always people out there more knowledgeable in the sport we all love. I've had some of my biggest winners from reading this forum and perfected my approach to the festival with my betting too.

Sorry joist thought he would be high enough already,not so long back since it wa racing the fly

As BHA Handicapper-in-chief Phil Smith put it: in order to qualify for the Festival, they need at least one race with the handbrake off.

Bless The Wings

If the King stable get over their current afflictions, this one is on a good mark and showed enough over a trip and on ground that would have stretched his stamina, that he's one to note on drcent ground. The Byrne Plate is a b1tch to decipher but that looks the logical target.

Makari
Dunno if this counts as a plot horse, as it advertised it's claims nicely at Doncaster before Christmas and is trained by Nicky Henderson, but looks County Hurdle bound and should be of interest

Shooters Wood
Something to prove after his disappointing return at Ascot before Christmas - or a Cheltenham specialist, capable of running to RPR 144-plus who will come on for that return, who is trained by Paul Nicholls and being plotted up for the Grand Annual?

Anay Turge in the Grand Annual?

Entered up in a novice hurdle tomorrow after being PU and U in last two starts after winning cosily at Cheltenham before. Chelt record reads: 1-5-1, and unbeaten over fences at Cheltenham. He's been gradually progressing from a lowly mark, while he isn't one who obviously has plenty to hide from the handicapper, his Cheltenham win recently offers some promise:

Eastlake is now rated 148, Renard 144. Anay Turge's chase mark is currently 134. He'll be touch and go to get into the Grand Annual with that, though Parsnip Pete snuck in off the same mark last year. Anay Turge wouldn't have got in in 2012, but he would in 2011, so very marginal.

No prices available yet.

I will put up Holywell. I fancied him before today and now like the look of him for Festival chase. On todays race I think he will get a mark of 142. 16/1 at the moment and probably worth the risk.
I also like that he has got his handicap mark over shorter which gives scope for an improved performance.

Be interested to see how Jetson runs today, with The Pertemps in mind, no way he's as bad as he's been showing this season.

Could be very interesting this year if the weather continues but then switches in March, we'll have spent the whole of this season virtually racing on softish ground(and last years festival) then if it does switch then there could be some very well handicapped horses around

Up and Go in the novice handicap chase

Thought Up and Go would be something special this year but he has been abysmal to put it mildly. If they can fix whatevers been ailing him he's now very very well handicapped.

I remember up and go was a well touted hurdler and people were on last year at fancy prices but had a setback.For some reason,the festival brings lots of the same horses out that are fancied year on year yet don't produce,if you find one let me know

For years by the way the one i was always given the wink for was Aachen....im still skint

McCain actually bypassed Chelt as he thought he wasn't ready for the hustle and bustle and he wanted to be patient with him. Ran a stinker then at Aintree when over the top according to McCain and that form has continued this season. As I said his performances have been abysmal esp the run at Bangor when very well backed. Most trainers you would fancy to get him right and land a nice handicap off this mark but so many of McCains deteriorate and never come back, he's not a trainer I'm fond of at all but just personal opinion.

I agree, he'll churn out the winners regular enough but where are the top class horses too, that just hasn't happened.

i think handicaps are out of the question for red sherlock now lol - looks ripe for neptune now

Honeyball states that Regal Encore's target is probably the Imperial Cup - and then think about a festival handicap under a penalty if he wins and there is a bonus on offer.

Let's see what transpires.

Not long left now,can we have any aditions,recaps,rethinks just to top up before the big 4 days are upon us.

Cheers

180

Thomas Edison, Quiscover Fontaine, Wrong Turn are possibilities

I like Thomas Edison too. Although I backed him last year as well and he ended up not running. Another of Martins that is interesting is Savello for the Grand Annual especially if they don't run Ted veale. Cost over £200,000 after won it's first two hurdles. Most of it's runs are on soft and heavy ground and Martin has said he only runs if yielding or better ground so potential to improve if we get decent ground.

Son of Flicka has to be added as well at 33/1. Sure most people would be kicking themselves if he won again. Off the same mark won off 2 years ago in same race at 16/1. Sent chasing last few races to protect hurdle mark (from going up or down) and has run some credible races compared to form before his 1st and 2nds at previous festivals. 10 yo so likely on the downgrade and now at a small stable but good ground and Cheltenham has previously shown a completely different horse to the one seen over winter.

Attaglance has been carefully campaigned.

Nothing wrong with his Paddy Power run, forgive a stinker next time, spring horse, drying ground, course form etc etc.

Aged 8 I'd have been more interested in the Plate for him despite his novice status however exchange says the Tuesday. 

Hard to say if 20s is a price, but I don't think he will be any bigger and its not impossible a better judge than me will put him up nearer the time.

^^^^ correction NRNB 16/1

Not necessarily a plot horse but 1 who hasnt really had his conditions to suit thro the winter hence gr8 hcap mark
Third Intention of Tizzards(143) in Byrne Plate needs decent ground ran an absolute stormer against Dynaste(rated 165) @ Liverpool 3 miles absolutely tanking /pulling double 3 out with Rocky Creek(rated 157)well back in 3rd.
Won novice chase @ track albeit 2 horse race on good ground in autumn ran a promising race @ Ascot in Reynoldstown just couldnt pick his feet up in bad ground.

Pleased with my selection Holywell.
Attaglance also went well for Gazovic!

Jockey went the wrong side thankfully

Wetak, 33-1, ex French trained, 2nd run for Pipe(fell over 3m) back to a more suitable distance tomorrow, has course form in a 2m chase here around 16 months ago and ran well, dont know if its its best distance or not, looks like its spent most of its life on soft

But a very decent run here on better ground at CHELT.......

WHO KNOWS, Pipe quotes "Could be a lively outsider"

Savello

What's this years plot horses lads?

Cheltenham handicaps?

Now we're talking!

It's my mission for the next 2 months to keep this thread near the top of this newsgroup!

Regal Encore to start you off.  Sent over fences and so far campaigned at distances well short of his best.

Wouldn't be the biggest shock if Minella Rocco rediscovered his form around March time, just wouldn't like to say which race that would be in!

I'm pretty sure my last handicap win at the festival was Young Spartacus in the 2003 Mildmay of Flete.

Wouldn't surprise me if Kitten Rock is aimed at the Centenary Novices Chase.

After his run this season John Constable off 139 is just 2lbs higher than his rating after just 2 juvenile runs last season. Ground would have been soft enough and look at what San Benedeto and Sternrubin have done for the form since to make him look very nicely treated. It's only those and the horse that came last (song light) that have been seen since and even that was a never nearer 5th behind Sternrubin in the ladbroke. Looking like a surprisingly hot little handicap now.

Even Altior is fluidly connected to the form too before he's shown himself as a bit of a beast. He met Ch'tbello of Skelton's who was behind Sternrubin and Constable next time. Not a lot between Altior and Skelton's so he's one to keep an eye on with wilberdragon and kapstadt who made up the race.   

Not surprising he hasn't been seen since November! 33/1 coral cup.

Jan 8, 2016 -- 5:17PM, The RealDeal wrote:

Wouldn't be the biggest shock if Minella Rocco rediscovered his form around March time, just wouldn't like to say which race that would be in!

Agree with this, 143 looks a very attractive opening mark. No idea what they plan to do with him however. 50/1 NRNB at Skybet in a wide open world hurdle looks a nice little proposition if they revert back to the smaller objects.

Given one of the poorest rides 2014 festival you will see.
Beaten a total of 137 lengths so far this season.
Winner of 2015 Grand Annual
Within 1 lb of last years mark,144 current rating BHA website
Not a trends horse
?Graded horse running in handicaps

Watched re-run of every race last night.Next Sensation won in great style in the concluding grand annual on friday,runs well fresh,and hosed up last march despite clouting the 4th fence.If the words T Scu appear under the jockey column,and trainer gets him there in the same form,he will take the world of beating.

Main problem might be having any tokens left by 5-15 friday

Probably not a dark one but Doctor Harper back up in trip over fences when he gets a mark.

desoto county in whatever race

Agree entirely with Noctural. Have backed him for the race the last two years running off 142 and 143 last year.
Most likely runs off 144 this year and won in style last year.
Took the 25's last week in the hope that he comes back in the same form as last year as it seemed a big price as it is 100% the target if he's fit.

Fingers crossed I'm not trying to claw back my losses by 5:15 on the Friday!!

Fungal bay could be interesting come Cheltenham when Hobbs decides to take the brakes off...

Fingal*

FB has been consistently placed recently but just finding horses "too good", won the Pertemps off 148 two years ago and now down to 142

Certainly had the handbrake on yesterday.

O'Grady surely thinks Kitten Rock is a bit better than a handicap. He hurt his back the last day and surely is a decent outsider in opposition to Douvan.

Bleu Et Roge could be a County Hurdle horse.

The Young Master, 3 mile Handicap on the Tuesday. Not exactly a dark one but was given a very tender ride on his last start. Entered for The Cleeve on Saturday which The Druids Nephew ran in last year before going on to win the same race at the festival. Will surely run at Cheltenham as the Waley Cohens have bought into him & this is the only logical race to run in, 20s looks a fair price to me.