Desoto County. Will he get in?

What's the score with modus ? I think J P Mac trainers sign a silence clause.

Desoto - no chance at all

Somewhat ironic, given the complaints about the British handicapper giving too much weight to Gordon Elliott-trained horses.

It's a tricky situation for the Irish in general with regards handicap marks. As there is no fixed 'inflation' to their Irish rating and Phil Smith works on a horse by horse basis, it makes it difficult to predict what mark they will get for Cheltenham. Throw in the fact that the handicaps are getting more compressed and the lowest ratings getting higher and it becomes very risky plotting one at the lower end. I think you will start to see a lot more Irish horses entered in English handicaps prior to Cheltenham in the future so they can get a slighter of what mark they have been allocated.

With regards Desoto County, he and a few other plots including A Hare Breath are likely to miss out by the look of it.

But Desoto County was given a mark for Betfair Hurdle but chose not to run in Europe's richest handicap, protect his mark and to wait for this. No sympathy at all if doesn't get in, in fact it'll be quite amusing

He was indeed given a mark as Gordon plays the system well. Every other year 137 would get a run so he was probably right to take the chance. With regards to the Betfair Hurdle, most owners want Cheltenham winners and would take the County Hurdle victory over the Betfair regardless of prize money. The Rooneys are not short of a few quid either.

12 of the 26 runners last year had a rating of 138 or less. With Wicklow Brave sitting on 138

Where are all these high class horses suddenly coming from that will push the bottom rating up so high....we've even got an extra race at the festival this year that should further thin things out

Desoto County currently No43 at the 5 day dec stage, looking at the past six years he would have got into the race. Last year Forced Family Fun was No26 at the final decs, at the 5 day stage FFF was No53.

Desoto has a very good chance of getting into this years renewal.

Would have got in the last 10 years off this mark. 22 horses above him with more than 1 entry. TARGET MAN has made a very good point there. Every chance of getting in.