Irish handicappers at Cheltenham

Irish handicap horses made a mockery of the lenient marks handed out by Phil Smith

To me it's not the Irish handicapper under-rating Irish horses. It's Phil Smith and his crew over-rating British horses. The sooner he's gone the better.

Or maybe, just maybe Irish horses are just better as proven time and time again in the grade 1 races.

I don't think there is much to choose between the UK and Irish in the Grade 1 races.

However, the fiddling of the Irish makes a mockery of the handicapping. To bleat like a lamb pre the festival and to win most of the races despite a huge numerical disadvantage leaves a rather sour taste in the mouth.

Next year stick another 7lbs on all the Irish h'cappers.

I'm not surprised by the fact that they have a better strike-rate than the % of runners, but the difference is huge. I would expect that those horses are sent over are there to win, and not just for a big day out for connections, because of the effort and cost involved in sending them over

the bleating by the Irish about their handicap marks has got to stop though, this happens every time and they walk away with most of the pots. Presenting Percy a great example, wins easily despite being badly treated according to the Irish

"Or maybe, just maybe Irish horses are just better as proven time and time again in the grade 1 races."

Or maybe, just maybe Irish horses are just better as proven time and time again in the grade 1 races.

Erm, that would explain *why* Phil Smith needs to add a few pounds.

For what it is worth, here are the Grade 1 results showing where winners were bred and who trained them. If Willie Mullins were a country ...

SUPREME	Labaik (FR)	Gordon Elliott
ARKLE	Altior (IRE)	Nicky Henderson
CHAMPION HURDLE	Buveur D'Air (FR)	Nicky Henderson
MARES	Apple's Jade (FR)	Gordon Elliott
NEPTUNE	Willoughby Court (IRE)	Ben Pauling
RSA	Might Bite (IRE)	Nicky Henderson
QMCC	Special Tiara (GB)	Henry De Bromhead
BUMPER	Fayonagh (IRE)	Gordon Elliott
JLT	Yorkhill (IRE)	W P Mullins
RYANAIR	Un De Sceaux (FR)	W P Mullins
STAYERS' HURDLE	Nichols Canyon (GB)	W P Mullins
TRIUMPH HURDLE	Defi Du Seuil (FR)	Philip Hobbs
ALBERT BARTLETT	Penhill (GB)	W P Mullins
GOLD CUP	Sizing John (GB)	Mrs John Harrington

On breeding, honours are even: 4 GB; 5 FR; 5 IRE. On training, 9-5 to the Emerald Isle.

If the Irish felt their horses had been unfairly treated despite their winning consistently might I suggest they come over prior to Cheltenham and run in at least two handicapped races?

......... The most important part of a trainers job is to get them to peak in March.

"Or maybe, just maybe Irish horses are just better as proven time and time again in the grade 1 races."

What would be the point of handicaps if the best horses always won them? The handicapping system is supposed to create a level playing field. You do have a point though. Phil Smith and his crew have been over-rating British horses for years.

Phil Smith and his crew have been over-rating British horses for years

correct

"ratings creep" they call it

for clarity, that's when the horse population average ratings increases over time, not phil smith

http://www.britishhorseracing.com/cheltenham-festival-2017-head-handicapping...