Cheltenham Handicaps

It is. In some respects it's been better than it has been for a few seasons.
 
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Darasso.

Consistently running cack at the back of graded races. Now given the colours it’s one that arouses my suspicions. He’s clearly got ability given his early form.

One for the notebook.
 
Can scratch Supasundae from the list after today’s retirement. Maybe he was finished :lol:

Commander Of Fleet entered in a Pertemps Qualifier at Carlisle on Sunday. He won’t run, but could be Gordon fishing for a mark. Column Of Fire also entered.

I had Commander Of Fleet down as a graded horse before his injury last season.
 
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I’ll be keeping a close eye on Darasso tomorrow in the 2.05 at Punchestown. He’s getting a mark for something, and I don’t know what yet. Possibly Coral Cup.
 
Shadow Rider's handicap mark would be interesting. Looks a graded performer to me. Not sure if the Martin Pipe is the race for him.
 
Wouldn't be at all surprised if he was their Bartlett horse. He came with a huge rep from the pointing sphere.
 
Double J said:
Could well be, but enough to take encouragement for me. JP usually likes a runner in this, I’ll bsck whatever turns up with the white hat.

Glenloe was a sickener last year
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White Cap often the biggest put-away job of the Festival handicaps.
 
The horse is either gone at the game or Hendo thinks he's Elliott. :lol:

You could be right, but he doesn't appear to be seeing his races out rather than being held up and running on, which you'd prefer to see with a horse that's having it's mark plotted. It might be he needs a wind op or something else minor that they'll do at the right time when they've got the mark they want of course.
 
Well I’ve got a few wrong and will continue to do so. I just can’t think a horse can be that bad without them wanting a mark. Always ran to a half decent level, and he shouldn’t be as far away as he is in some of these races.

8yo an all, so age is on his side to be suddenly gone. Hendo can put them away for this race, he’d be my shout from this yaed so far. See what the Irish send though
 
Hendo definitely targets the race each season, and I always look for his entries.

Buzz is the obvious one this season. Call Me Lord is potentially in the mix, as is On The Blind Side. And it's not inconceivable Dame de Compagnie doesn't come back for the race. If she doesn't take to fences or they abort the plan, she'd still be feasibly handicapped.

He's usually got one or two that fly under the radar that get entries too.
 
Verdana Blue not getting dropped from 151 after being stopped in the International must have annoyed them.
 
She might turn up, but she wants a road and a flat track, and I'd imagine they might be they're aiming at something later in the season as her main target.

They've definitely got their eye on something before she goes to the paddocks.
 
Slim said:
Verdana Blue not getting dropped from 151 after being stopped in the International must have annoyed them.
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That was one of the first things I checked the following Tuesday. A plan foiled, maybe, although she is well enough handicapped whenever they decide to take the handbrake off.

I'm not sure the Ayr Champion Hurdle will be worth it's usual top level prize money but it will be ringmarked for her on the calendar.
 
I reckon there’s every chance Verdana Blue will be sacrificed in a Festival handicap, to ensure the yard have a relative feather-weight for one they are looking to smuggle in.
 
Imagine a festival with fewer Irish raiders and as a result of owners not being allowed in, fewer entries generally due to those owners who simply want to watch their horse run at Cheltenham.

Surely that has an impact on the ratings and we’d end up with lower rated than usual horses getting.

Not entirely certain that it gives us a betting angle but it could be worth considering those ante post bets on horses that might not normally make the cut.
 
wilsonl said:
Imagine a festival with fewer Irish raiders and as a result of owners not being allowed in, fewer entries generally due to those owners who simply want to watch their horse run at Cheltenham.

Surely that has an impact on the ratings and we’d end up with lower rated than usual horses getting.

Not entirely certain that it gives us a betting angle but it could be worth considering those ante post bets on horses that might not normally make the cut.
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I think most of the handicaps will be affected to varying degrees in this respect but I don't think it will impact too much on the outcome. The handicaps are usually won by horses with a bit of class. I wouldn't mind knowing how many of them are won by something near the bottom of the weights.
 
Slim said:
Will make no difference. It's the best prize money and Cheltenham is Cheltebhan.
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Prize money isn't all that great.

Last year the county and coral hurdles were 56k to the winner. The betfair a month earlier was 87k to the winner.

The ultima on the Tuesday was only 62k to the winner. Nowhere near the money you would get for the paddy power at Christmas (110k) or the ladbrokes trophy at Newbury (142k).


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