Festival Weights Announced

The weights for the Cheltenham Festival handicaps have been revealed at Cheltenham Racecourse.

The handicappers have admitted framing the weights for the novice contests has been particularly tricky due to the lack of form as a result of the bad weather and what form there is being on soft ground, where good ground is predicted for the Festival.

The William Hill Handicap Chase and the market leader Bensalem has been assigned 10st 11lb.

In the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Handicap Steeplechase last year’s winner Garde Champetre has been given 11st 12lb, 11lbs higher than last year, whilst runner-up L’Ami has 5lbs more with 11st 4lb. Handicapper Phil Smith has admitted he does treat this race differently than other races in that he pays particular attention to previous cross country form.

Beshabar in good form this season and has been given 11st 6lb for Wednesday’s Coral Cup, whilst Pistolet Noir on 11st 10lb heads the weights for the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.

Rivaliste (11st 6lb) is well supported in the ante-post list for the Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase on Thursday, while the Alfie Sherrin is given a chance on 10st 10lbs, below top-weight Fair Along (11st 12lb) in the Pertemps Final later that afternoon.

Veteran Our Vic has been allocated top-weight of 11st 12lb in the Byrne Group Plate.

Ballabriggs has also been allotted 11st 12lb as he heads the handicap in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase, for which he has been vying for favouritism with Shillingstone (11st 6lb).

Jumbo Rio (11st 12lb) tops the weights in both Friday’s Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle and Wednesday’s Coral Cup, in which he shares top weight with Mr Thriller.

In the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle on Friday, Mutual Friend, Moskova and Takeroc jointly head the weights on 11st 12lb, while Quantitativeeasing, prominent in the ante-post betting, has 11st 11lb.

The final race of The Festival is the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase. French Opera (11st 12lb) is currently favourite for the contest and Nicky Henderson’s charge is one of four joint top-weights along with Newmill, I’msingingtheblues and Scotsirish.

The top weights are as follows:

William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase: THE TOTHER ONE  11-12  Paul Nicholls

Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase: GARDE CHAMPETRE  11-12 Enda Bolger IRE

Coral Cup: MR THRILLER   11-12  David Pipe, JUMBO RIO    11-12  Edward O’Grady IRE

Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Hcp Hdl: PISTOLET NOIR  11-10  Paul Nicholls

Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase: TAKE THE BREEZE  11-10  Paul Nicholls

Pertemps Final: FAIR ALONG   11-12  Philip Hobbs

Byrne Group Plate: OUR VIC 11-12 David Pipe

Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase: BALLABRIGGS  11-12  Donald McCain jr

Vincent O'Brien Handicap Hdl: JUMBO RIO  11-12  Edward O’Grady IRE

Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Hcp Hdl: MUTUAL FRIEND  11-12  David Pipe, MOSKOVA   11-12  Paul Nolan IRE, TAKEROC 11-12  Paul Nicholls

Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Hcp Chs: NEWMILL 111-12 John Murphy IRE, I’MSINGINGTHEBLUES   11-12  Paul Nicholls, FRENCH OPERA  11-12  Nicky Henderson, SCOTSIRISH   11-12  Willie Mullins IRE