Cheltenham handicaps

Holywell scraped home off a moderate gallop I see. I expect a much better run from him in a race over 3 miles run at a proper pace.
 
Note of caution regards Holywell.

"I think he finds chasing hard as he's not very big," McCoy said of the winner.

"He might not be as good over fences and could be a horse that goes back hurdling at some stage."

O'Neill said: "I don't know where he'll go know (at Cheltenham). He's in the four-miler, the three-mile handicap, the RSA and the Word Hurdle.

"We'll just wait and see and leave all his options open and it's up to us to pick the right one."
 
Frankel said:
Note of caution regards Holywell.

"I think he finds chasing hard as he's not very big," McCoy said of the winner.

"He might not be as good over fences and could be a horse that goes back hurdling at some stage."

O'Neill said: "I don't know where he'll go know (at Cheltenham). He's in the four-miler, the three-mile handicap, the RSA and the Word Hurdle.

"We'll just wait and see and leave all his options open and it's up to us to pick the right one."
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We'll see - I am sure I remember similar things being said about Sunnyhillboy's early chasing career.
 
marble said:
Tanerko Emery is interesting me at 20/1 in the County......soft or heavy ground may the key to him putting in his best.. if I were to back him I think I'd need there to be some real cut in the ground
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Just reading the weather thread here.. looking more likely!
 
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I've kept a close eye on Holywell since he started chasing and in theory he has had an ideal campaign -improving steadily and should be at his peak for Cheltenham.In my opinion he was always going to win at Doncaster -Mc Coy was trying to make it look hard work on a horse who was easily the best in the race.
He should be nicely handicapped and in peak form on the day but is he fast enough over his fences.
 
Everywhere I turn Holywell is been talked up.. I backed it for the handicap on the first day in August at 20s but there could be 10 horses better treated come the day... Once the weights are released it will be good to hear everyone's thoughts
 
Perpetual said:
I saw Frankel, plus Raya Star entered in the Grand Annual. What a judge you are :)
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He'll have a good chance I think but he'll have near enough top weight. Still think he should have gone for the plate as they have confirmed Rajdhani Express for that aswell meaning he would have been in on a nice weight.
 
I haven't looked at the Handcp's yet but always get at least one tasty priced winner- Follow me into battle lads.
 
Would love to see Man With Van turn up in the Coral Cup, been running over much shorter than ideal and winning and sure there's plenty of scope when he steps up in trip - entered in Ireland and at Kelso this weekend, win in one of those and 132 could look very very lenient indeed.

Martin
 
Weights for the 11 handicaps at The Festival unveiled

26th February 2014 - The Festival kicks off in less than a fortnight and today the countdown continues with the unveiling of the weights for the 11 handicaps run over the four days (Tuesday, March 11 to Friday, March 14).

Champion Day, Tuesday, March 11, features two handicaps - the Baylis and Harding Affordable Luxury Handicap Chase and the Rewards4Racing Novices' Handicap Chase. Triolo D'Alene (Nicky Henderson) and Houblon Des Obeaux (Venetia Williams), who both still hold entries in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup, share top-weight of 11st 12lb in the Baylis and Harding Affordable Luxury Handicap Chase over an extended three miles.

God's Own (Tom George) will have to shoulder 12 stone if he runs in the Rewards4Racing Novices' Handicap Chase, having been raised seven pounds following an excellent second in the Grade Two Pendil Novices' Chase at Kempton Park on Saturday. Although he is now rated above the limit of 140 for the two and a half-mile event, he is still eligible to run as he was rated 137 at the time of entry. Hunt Ball defied 12 stone in this race two years ago after also having his rating elevated following the entry stage.

Medinas (Alan King) will have to defy top-weight of 11st 12lb if he is to become the first horse to win the Coral Cup twice. He shares top weight of 11st 12lb in the two miles and five furlong handicap hurdle with Irish challenger Dunguib (Philip Fenton). The Coral Cup takes place on Ladies Day, Wednesday, March 12.

The Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Steeple Chase is also staged on Ladies Day. Cheltenham specialist Balthazar King (Philip Hobbs) won this race in 2012 and will have to carry top-weight of 11st 12lb if he is to record a second success in the unique contest, which takes place over three miles and seven furlongs. Ladies Day also features the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle over an extended two miles, in which Abbyssial (Willie Mullins), a Grade Two winner at Fairyhouse on Saturday, has top-weight of 11st 12lb.

On St Patrick's Thursday, March 13, Fingal Bay (Philip Hobbs) has been allotted top-weight of 11st 12lb in the three-mile Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle and the Minehead handler is also responsible for the handicap topper in the two and a half-mile Byrne Group Plate Handicap Chase with Wishfull Thinking on 11st 12lb. St Patrick's Thursday concludes with the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase over an extended three miles and a furlong in which Holywell (Jonjo O'Neill), winner of last year's Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle, heads the weights on 11st 12lb.

Previous Festival winners Captain Cee Bee (Eddie Harty) and Dunguib (Philip Fenton) plus Diakali (Willie Mullins) share top-weight of 11st 12lb in the Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle, run over two miles and a furlong on Gold Cup Day, Friday, March 14. On the same day, Virak (Paul Nicholls) tops the weights in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle over an extended two and a half miles, while in the concluding race of The Festival, the extended two-mile Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase, the weights are headed by Kid Cassidy (Nicky Henderson).
 
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