Cheltenham 2023 Handicap Weights - Assessing The Irish Entrants
- The handicap weights have been revealed for the 2023 Cheltenham Festival
- The Irish entrants have been given ratings by the British handicapper
- We look at how the Irish runners have been treated in all nine handicaps at Cheltenham
Irish runners finishing first, second and third in last year's Coral Cup. (Getty)
- 2023 Boodles Handicap Hurdle Runners
- 2023 County Hurdle Runners
- 2023 Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle Runners
- 2023 Coral Cup Runners
- 2023 Pertemps Final Runners
- 2023 Grand Annual Runners
- 2023 Plate Handicap Chase Runners
- 2023 Ultima Handicap Chase Runners
- 2023 Kim Muir Handicap Chase Runners
Irish Handicap Runners
The weights and ratings have been unveiled for all nine handicap races at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.
The entries for each of the handicaps were revealed last month and the British handicapper has had a couple of weeks to assess the Irish runners. In this article, we take a look at each of the nine handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival and assess how the key Irish runners have been treated.
Cheltenham Festival Handicaps - Assessing The Irish Hurdlers
2023 Boodles Handicap Hurdle Runners
| Name | Irish Rating | English Rating | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Practice | 129 | 131 | 2 |
| Cougar | 127 | 129 | 2 |
| Nusret | 128 | 131 | 3 |
| Byker | 124 | 128 | 4 |
| Risk Belle | 123 | 127 | 4 |
| Sir Allen | 127 | 131 | 4 |
| Morning Soldier | 121 | 125 | 4 |
| Jazzy Matty | 121 | 125 | 4 |
| Metamorpheus | 121 | 125 | 4 |
| Mctigue | 136 | 142 | 6 |
| Tekao | 128 | 135 | 7 |
| Action Motion | 118 | 125 | 7 |
The hot-favourite for this year's Boodles, Tekao (135) has been treated rather harshly by the British handicapper, who rated Willie Mullins' juvenile seven pounds higher than his Irish counterpart.
The first five home in the informative Rated Hurdle at Naas, Sir Allen (131), Morning Soldier (125), Byker (128), Jazzy Matty (125) and Metamorpheus (125) have all been handed four-pound higher marks. Emmet Mullins Mctigue (142), who holds several Cheltenham handicap entries, has been slapped with a six-pound higher rating.
2023 County Hurdle Runners
| Name | Irish R | English R | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharjah | 155 | 155 | 0 |
| Colonel Mustard | 143 | 143 | 0 |
| Pied Piper | 153 | 154 | 1 |
| Path D'oroux | 138 | 141 | 3 |
| The Model Kingdom | 131 | 134 | 3 |
| Filey Bay | 137 | 141 | 4 |
| Hunters Yarn | 143 | 147 | 4 |
| Fil Dor | 147 | 151 | 4 |
| Ballyadam | 144 | 148 | 4 |
| Anna Bunina | 139 | 143 | 4 |
| Pinkerton | 136 | 141 | 5 |
| Il Etait Temps | 148 | 155 | 7 |
Multiple Grade One winner, Sharjah (155) would carry 11-12 into the County Hurdle, after the British handicapper refused to alter his Irish rating. Supreme Novices Hurdle-bound Il Etait Temps (155), on the other hand, was rated seven pounds better than his offical mark in Ireland.
Both Filey Bay (141) and Hunters Yarn (147) will run off four-pound higher marks if they run in the County Hurdle. Like Sharjah, Colonel Mustard (143) remains on the same mark, with Gordon Elliott's Pied Piper (154) receiving just a one-pound rise.
2023 Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle Runners
| Name | Irish R | English R | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fennor Cross | 130 | ? | ? |
| American Mike | 138 | ? | ? |
| Landrake | 135 | ? | ? |
| Favori De Champdou | 141 | 141 | 0 |
| Imagine | 135 | 139 | 3 |
| Three Card Brag | 138 | 142 | 4 |
| San Salvador | 134 | 138 | 4 |
| Firm Footings | 130 | 134 | 4 |
| Spanish Harlem | 131 | 135 | 4 |
| Cool Survivor | 135 | 140 | 5 |
| Riaan | 130 | 135 | 5 |
| Mctigue | 136 | 142 | 6 |
| Hauturiere | 129 | 136 | 7 |
| Sa Fureur | 130 | 137 | 7 |
| Seddon | 134 | 141 | 7 |
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Spanish Harlem (135) has been pushed to the head of the Martin Pipe betting in recent weeks and Willie Mullins' novice will be forced to run off a four-pound higher mark if he was to run in this handicap.
Of Gordon Elliott's battalion of entrants, Favori De Champdou (141) has been treated most kindly, after the British assessor refused to alter his rating. Cool Survivor (140) has been handed a five-pound higher mark, while Imagine (139), Three Card Brag (142) and Sa Fureur (137) have also been given higher ratings. American Mike and Landrake are yet to be assessed.
2023 Coral Cup Runners
| Name | Irish R | English R | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zanahiyr | 157 | 157 | 0 |
| Summerville Boy | 143 | 143 | 0 |
| Grand Roi | 143 | 144 | 1 |
| Beacon Edge | 145 | 147 | 2 |
| Saint Sam | 150 | 152 | 2 |
| Run For Oscar | 145 | 147 | 2 |
| Winter Fog | 149 | 152 | 3 |
| Brandy Love | 146 | 149 | 3 |
| HMS Seahorse | 139 | 143 | 4 |
| Haut En Couleurs | 145 | 151 | 6 |
| Captain Conby | 137 | 143 | 6 |
Zanahiyr (157) will have to shoulder top-weight in either the Coral Cup or the County Hurdle, should he take up either of those handicap entries. Haut En Couleurs (151), meanwhile, has been handed a six-pound higher hurdles rating by the British handicapper.
Stablemate, Brandy Love (149) would run off just a three-pound higher rating. Paul Nolan's HMS Seahorse (143) has been judged four pounds better than his revised Irish mark. Saint Sam (152) and Winter Fog (152) are two and three pounds higher respectively.
2023 Pertemps Final Runners
| Name | Irish R | English R | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shewearsitwell | 147 | 148 | 1 |
| Shoot First | 137 | 139 | 2 |
| Salvador Ziggy | 145 | 147 | 2 |
| The Bosses Oscar | 142 | 145 | 3 |
| Good Time Jonny | 138 | 142 | 4 |
| Perceval Legallois | 135 | 140 | 5 |
| Maxxum | 138 | 145 | 7 |
If Shewearsitwell (148) runs in the Pertemps Final over the Mares' Hurdle, then Willie Mullins's mare will only have to carry one pound more than she would in an Irish handicap.
Shoot First (139) and Salvador Ziggy (147) have been handed two-pound higher marks. Perceval Legallois (140) is rated five pounds higher in England, while Gordon Elliott's Maxxum (145) would be forced to run off a seven-pound higher rating.
Cheltenham Festival Handicaps - Assessing The Irish Chasers
2023 Grand Annual Runners
| Name | Irish Rating | English Rating | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riviere D'etel | 150 | 149 | -1 |
| Epson Du Houx | 146 | 147 | 1 |
| Coeur Sublime | 152 | 152 | 1 |
| Saint Roi | 152 | 153 | 1 |
| Final Orders | 149 | 150 | 1 |
| Dinoblue | 138 | 140 | 2 |
| Andy Dufresne | 152 | 155 | 3 |
| Magic Daze | 145 | 148 | 3 |
| A Wave Of The Sea | 145 | 148 | 3 |
| Call Me Lyreen | 141 | 145 | 4 |
| Dads Lad | 140 | 145 | 5 |
| Midnight Run | 141 | 146 | 5 |
| Fils D'Oudairies | 137 | 142 | 5 |
Of all the horses mentioned in this article, the only Irish runner who has been handed a lower mark by the British handicapper is Gordon Elliott's mare Riviere D'etel (149), who has been deemed one pound worse on British soil.
Andy Dufresne (155) will run off the same mark he finished second off in last year's Grand Annual. Final Order (153), Saint Roi (153) and Coeur Sublime (152) have only been upped a pound. Dads Lad (145), Midnight Run (146) and Fils D'Oudairies (142) will have to run off five-pound higher marks.
2023 Plate Handicap Chase Runners
| Name | Irish R | English R | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escaria Ten | 150 | 151 | 1 |
| I Am Maximus | 150 | 151 | 1 |
| Haut En Couleurs | 156 | 157 | 1 |
| Percy Warner | 130 | 133 | 3 |
| Fastorslow | 147 | 150 | 3 |
| French Dynamite | 152 | 155 | 3 |
| Embittered | 141 | 145 | 4 |
| Champagne Gold | 138 | 142 | 4 |
| Adamantly Chosen | 149 | 153 | 4 |
| So Scottish | 138 | 143 | 5 |
| Seddon | 137 | 143 | 6 |
| Mars Harper | 131 | 138 | 7 |
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Emmet Mullins' So Scottish has been rated 143 by the British handicapper, five pounds better than his mark in Ireland. Unlike over hurdles, Haut En Couleurs (157) has only been judged one pound superior to his Irish rating.
Escaria Ten (151) and I Am Maximus (151) have also been handed one-pound higher marks. Fastorslow (150) and French Dynamite (155) have been upped by three pounds, while Adamantly Chosen (153) has received a four-pound rise.
2023 Ultima Handicap Chase Runners
| Name | Irish R | English R | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punitive | 137 | 137 | 0 |
| Recite A Prayer | 141 | 142 | 1 |
| Kilcruit | 148 | 149 | 1 |
| Death Duty | 138 | 139 | 1 |
| Coko Beach | 153 | 155 | 2 |
| The Goffer | 147 | 149 | 2 |
| Irascible | 132 | 138 | 6 |
| Folcano | 130 | 138 | 8 |
The Goffer (149) has had his Irish rating upped by just two pounds. As has stablemate Coko Beach (155), who could run in the Ultima before heading onto the Grand National.
Punitive (137) will run off his Irish rating if he joins The Goffer and Coko Beach in the field. Recite A Prayer (142), Kilcruit (149) and Death Duty (139) have only received one pound rises.
2023 Kim Muir Handicap Chase Runners
| Name | Irish R | English R | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mr Incredible | 144 | 145 | 1 |
| Angels Dawn | 129 | 131 | 2 |
| Stumptown | 133 | 135 | 2 |
| Defi Bleu | 136 | 139 | 3 |
| Fakeira | 132 | 135 | 3 |
| Dunboyne | 138 | 141 | 3 |
| Amirite | 138 | 142 | 4 |
| Royal Thief | 133 | 138 | 5 |
Stumptown (135) has been the biggest Cheltenham handicap market mover over the past week and Gavin Cromwell will have been pleased to see the British handicapper hand his raider just a two-pound higher mark on Wednesday.
A mere one-pound rise means Mr Incredible (145) gets in right at the top of the Kim Muir weights. Fakeira (135) and Dunboyne (141) will have to run off three-pound higher marks.
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