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2025 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Racing Post: The BHA assessor admitted he was "restricted on what we can do" after allocating major Cheltenham Festival gamble Kopeck De Mee a mark of 136 when the handicap weights for the meeting were revealed on Tuesday.

The five-year-old has not been seen since last May, and with all five of his previous outings over jumps coming in France – including wins on each of his last three starts – assessing the level of his form put hurdling handicapper Michael Harris in an almost impossible position.

Kopeck De Mee, who will make his debut for JP McManus and Willie Mullins at Cheltenham, was backed into favourite for the Coral Cup, County Hurdle and Martin Pipe when the handicap entries were made. But he shortened again into 4-1 (from 9-2) in the betting for the Martin Pipe after the weights for all 12 festival handicaps were released.

Harris said: “The one who stood out was Kopeck De Mee. All five runs have been in France, so we've not seen him in Britain or Ireland. He had a French mark meaning all we could do was use our normal procedure. We've given him 136 after following our standard way of conversion from the French model of two kilos, and he was 68 kilos [in France].

“The conversion used to be 2.2kgs, but we changed it to two kilos a few years ago. So while handicapping him was straightforward, ideally we would have seen the horse in Britain or Ireland and have had a better knowledge of his form. We're restricted on what we can do.”
 
Ian_Davies said:
Racing Post: The BHA assessor admitted he was "restricted on what we can do" after allocating major Cheltenham Festival gamble Kopeck De Mee a mark of 136 when the handicap weights for the meeting were revealed on Tuesday.

The five-year-old has not been seen since last May, and with all five of his previous outings over jumps coming in France – including wins on each of his last three starts – assessing the level of his form put hurdling handicapper Michael Harris in an almost impossible position.

Kopeck De Mee, who will make his debut for JP McManus and Willie Mullins at Cheltenham, was backed into favourite for the Coral Cup, County Hurdle and Martin Pipe when the handicap entries were made. But he shortened again into 4-1 (from 9-2) in the betting for the Martin Pipe after the weights for all 12 festival handicaps were released.

Harris said: “The one who stood out was Kopeck De Mee. All five runs have been in France, so we've not seen him in Britain or Ireland. He had a French mark meaning all we could do was use our normal procedure. We've given him 136 after following our standard way of conversion from the French model of two kilos, and he was 68 kilos [in France].

“The conversion used to be 2.2kgs, but we changed it to two kilos a few years ago. So while handicapping him was straightforward, ideally we would have seen the horse in Britain or Ireland and have had a better knowledge of his form. We're restricted on what we can do.”
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This seems absurd. The difference between using two kilos as opposed to 2.2 kgs amounts to 13.6 lbs, or a stone in this case. Why be so wilfully inaccurate?
 
He could be another Dom Poli, Sir Des Champs, Galopin etc, but you have to take him on.
I like Aston Martini at 50/1. Form of a couple of his races ( Lingfield ) + last time out at Ascot ,have worked out, + he's still lightly raced.
 
The more observant among you may have noticed that the New Course at Cheltenham and Auteuil aren't exactly identical.

These apparent handicap blots don't always work out, but Kopeck De Mee runs off literally a stone lower mark than would have been the case under the old conversion rate and his French form has worked out.

I'm on him for this at 6/1 NRNB and if he wins I'm going to buy a Tiramisu factory in Italy straight after I negotiate a Meal Deal For Life with Tesco.

And if he gets beat, well, I've had two winning days and a break-even day today so far this Cheltenham week, so it won't exactly be the end of the world.

Good luck to all my friends on here in the lucky last - some cracking discussions this week!
 
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I’ve highlighted the first-season novices in green as I suspect one will win. Stormbreaker is a definite bet. This is the comment the time before last: Towards rear, mistake and dropped to last when jockey looked down to see if something was amiss 6th, towards rear when headway after 3 out, went second when ridden after last, kept on well (jockey said gelding either took a false step or struck into himself and lost his position after jumping 2nd hurdle past stands but was sound so he continued on) (op 7/1 tchd 17/2). Next time he was a single-figure price in McLaurey’s race but was never put in it so it’s interesting that he turns up here with one of the yard’s two top apprentices up. It’s too big a price not to back. I took 50/1, 6 places, Nurse Susan earlier today. Hasn't run this season, Langer Dan colours, held G1 entries going into Cheltenham last season but missed the meeting. This has plot painted all over it and I want it onside just in case a gamble develops. I’m just going to spread some money across all the first-season novices at the best odds and terms and hope one of the darts hits the bullseye. Kopeck De Mee has been getting plenty of coverage in the racing media. JP paid big money for it and there’s been plenty said about the conversion ratio from France but I don’t want to be taking 5/2 in a race of this nature. I’ll cover all the bets with East India Express. It looks like Hendo has asked permission for Freddie Gordon to take the mount.
 
Disappointed with the ride TD gave Nurse Susan, going faster than they had in the County. I was looking at the on-screen MPH as much as the race and shaking my head.

I'm not going to attempt to say she'd have beaten the winner who was very impressive and make no mistake this form will prove to be sh1t hot.
 
Desert Orchid said:
Disappointed with the ride TD gave Nurse Susan, going faster than they had in the County. I was looking at the on-screen MPH as much as the race and shaking my head.

I'm not going to attempt to say she'd have beaten the winner who was very impressive and make no mistake this form will prove to be sh1t hot.
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Me too. As soon as he set off in front I was thinking you’ll never win a Martin Pipe from the front.

Bizarre really as she’d always been held up before maybe her lengthy absence had given Dan Skelton too much time to think and he concluded a change in tactics was the right way forward
 
I need to watch it again but Act Of Authority ran an eye catching race in second.

At one point the commentator said he was dropping back, at which time, (watching the race on my phone), I thought I'd backed a loser, but then he stayed on like a train, even after hitting the last hurdle.

I'm sticking him in the tracker.
 
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