Cheltenham Handicap Weights

Various latest entries here too:

http://www.theirishfield.ie/entries-for-last-four-cheltenham-festival-races-revealed-202229/#.Vtbb_xpcomM.twitter

Great field. Or. 147

Phil Smith has not missed any of the Irish trained McManus horses for sure. Blazer, Campeador and Squouateur have all be inflated as well. Squouateur stays within the Martin Pipe limit so I'm sure they are still happy with that.

Modus 10-05

Yes, Modus does look pretty tasty off that weight.

I'm keen on Desoto County who got a great weight in the County at 10-03. My fear is whether Desoto or Modus for that matter will get in? 24 runners and Modus will be mid 50s in the order, and Desoto high 50s.

Corporal,

That problem gets worse every year as there are more entries and the handicap fields can become condensed. It is now harder to find a nice mark and also guarantee you will make the final cut. The Irish also have to contend with the fact that their marks will get inflated by Phil Smith but they have no idea how much as it varies from horse to horse.

had backed great field for martin pipe ante post but cant see on list of entries ( still on betfair list) have I done my money ?

Rating too high. Did a couple of quid here, money gone I believe

Can someone confirm the Max field size for Cheltenham Handicaps please

thought was 24 but 25 ran in coral cup last year

Cheers PDGICL, can anyone confirm this 100%

http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/article/465/10188842/cheltenham-handicap-weights-revealed

See the conditions at the top of each card

26 coral
26 county
24 pertemps
24 martin pipe
24 ultimate
24 plate
24 Kim muir
24 grand annual
22 Fred winter
20 novices chase

Thx guys

As per the link kindly posted by Off the toe in the opening post on this thread - well worth a read...

 
 
Race (maximum number of runners)     
Ultima Handicap Chase (24)
Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase (20)   
Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (26)             
Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (22)     
Pertemps Network Final (24)                 
Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate (24)
Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase (24)   
Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle (26) 
Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hcp Hdl (24)   
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Hcp Chs (24)

my c/p skills too slow...still worth perusing the document though

Phil Smith gave Blue Hell and additional 5lb for sitting in his box. Now rated 20lb higher for one win. What a phucking c*&t this guy is.

That's the risk connections of Blue Hell took by deciding to lay him out for this race. They had no idea the form of the race would work out so well and you could argue that this could have happened to an English horse too. In hindsight they could have exploited the mark earlier but chose to aim for Cheltenham glory and it has backfired. I'm not a fan of that walking ego Phil Smith but at least he's consistently in his scam.

@ Maelduin,
I,m not so sure you are right there, Blue Hell is rated 137(142 for this) by the Irish handicap ratings,also Desoto County 130(137 for this).
At first look it seems as if the English handicapper is clobbering the Irish runners which i until recently believed was the case. However someone pointed out to me that both handicap systems are slightly different and they are adjusted to the British system.
I'm not a 100% sure on this but i,m now of the opinion that generally they are just brought into line with their British counterparts.
Open to correction on the above.

is that right, desoto county has little chance of getting in the county hurdle?

Blue Hell has been allocated 146 versus 137 in Ireland. However, a month or so ago they entered him in the Lanzarote at Kempton and he was allowed 141 back then. Unfortunately he has be rerated by Phil Smith for Cheltenham and upped to 146.

Desoto County is currently in 59th position so will struggle to make the cut for the County Hurdle. There will be some horses above him that will not run but he needs about 30 to come out and I don't think that will happen looking at the horses.

couldn't believe it when g elliot decided not to run desoto county in the 150k betfair hurdle and wait for the 90k county hurdle, shot himself in the foot trying to protect the hcp mark.

Maelduin is right,that is very harsh indeed.
Looks odds against alright Ashleigh, hope he does make it though as such an eyecatching Leopardstown run, Elliott very upbeat with him also as described him as a bull after his work on Tuesday.

Perhaps he'll run Desoto in the Imperial Cup at Sandown the weekend before?