The Cheltenham Festival weights were released on Tuesday and with less than two weeks to go until the four-day spectacular, our expert editor has delved into the handicaps in 2022 and nominated five Irish handicappers to follow, alongside an exclusive bet365 offer where you can get £50 in Free Bets when you bet £10.
GAELIC WARRIOR 4:50 Tuesday, March 15th – (Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle)
Owned by Rich Ricci, trained by Willie Mullins…..the rest writes itself, right? GAELIC WARRIOR has been heavily backed for this contest since the start of the year and whilst the French import has yet to race on British or Irish soil, there is an overwhelming suspicion that the four-year-old could be extremely well-treated off just 129.
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The owner and trainer were keen to snap the four-year-old up after performing with great credit on his final two starts at Auteuil last year, earning decent RPR figures in the process.
The ante-post favourite has been the subject of glowing reports in recent stable tours and interviews and has been kept from making his anticipated racecourse appearance until this season’s Festival in order to protect his generous mark.
There is every reason to think that Gaelic Warrior could be one of the best-handicapped horses of the entire meeting and although the four-year-old will have to perform on the biggest stage of all on stable debut, Willie Mullins’ latest French recruit could blow apart his handicap rating and the weight of support suggest he will do just that.
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SAINT FELICIEN 2:50 Wednesday, March 16th – (Coral Cup)
It could be the case that in time SAINT FELICIEN could make up into a Grade 1 performer for connections and after making an impressive stable debut at Gowran Park when defeating subsequent Listed scorer Slip Of The Tongue, there was talk of the five-year-old making up into a potential Champion Hurdle contender.
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Gordon Elliot’s charge was soon pitched into Open company after that novice hurdle win and whilst he couldn’t replicate that winning effort in Grade 3 company at Naas, Saint Felicien was certainly far from disgraced behind eventual winner Darasso on just his second start in Ireland.
There should be plenty of improvement to come from Saint Felicien at this early stage of his career and after just three career starts, the five-year-old’s mark of 149 doesn’t look insurmountable and a bold bid looks assured in the Coral Cup.
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GRAND JURY 2:50 Wednesday, March 16th – (Coral Cup)
GRAND JURY holds entries across three of the four days at this year’s Cheltenham Festival and whilst the six-year-old could be aimed at the County Hurdle or Martin Pipe, the likelihood at this stage is that he will take his place in the 2m5f Coral Cup on Wednesday.
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The former point-to-point winner returned this season with a stylish success on the first hurdle start, staying on strongly over 2miles under Rachael Blackmore to run out a comfortable winner. That smart performance encouraged connections to pitch the six-year-old into Grade 1 company in the Lawlor’s Of Naas at the start of the year and whilst he was no match for the Gordon Elliot trained Ginto, Henry De Bromhead’s charge travelled ominously well turning for home and stuck on well under pressure.
However, Grand Jury was disappointing when last seen in Grade 1 company at the Dublin Racing Festival, weakening after the final two flights to finish sixth after attracting plenty of market support.
Connections could offer no reason as to why he ran below expectations on that occasion so a line is best drawn through that effort at Leopardstown. A mark of 141 still seems lenient with proven Grade 1 form in the book and perhaps the six-year-old can bounce back to form for a team that dominated at last season’s Festival.
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FRONTAL ASSAULT 5:30 Thursday, March 17th – (Kim Muir Challenge Cup)
Connections of FRONTAL ASSAULT will have been over the moon to see the seven-year-old allocated a mark of 145 which should see him carry top weight in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup on Thursday.
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Frontal Assault has seemingly been brought along over fences this season with a Festival handicap in mind, running with credit over intermediate trips on his opening three starts over the larger obstacles in novice company.
The seven-year-old has steadily improved between each outing since attention has turned to chasing, including when catching the eye with his finishing effort at Fairyhouse, staying on well in the closing stages despite making an error over the last fence to force a dead-heat in second.
Gordon Elliot will have high hopes for his charge at this year’s meeting and having previously finished eighth in the Martin Pipe over hurdles at last year’s Festival, Frontal Assault should relish the occasion and is bound to be suited by the step-up in trip having landed a 3mile hurdle earlier in his career.
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ECHOES IN RAIN 2:10 Friday, March 18th – (County Hurdle)
It would be a surprise if connections don’t opt to place ECHOES IN RAIN in the County Hurdle on Friday as Willie Mullins’ mare still holds a preliminary entry in the Mares Hurdle earlier in the week. However, the six-year-old looks to have all the right credentials to pose a serious threat in the County and a mark of 150 is well within range.
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The mare enjoyed a superb season last campaign, landing back to back Grade 2 contests at Naas and Fairyhouse before taking the rise up to Grade 1 level in her stride when readily accounting for her four rivals at Punchestown in a race that had been previously landed by the likes of Jezki, Faugheen and Douvan.
That dominant winning performance saw her touted as a potential Champion Hurdle type at the start of the year, however, she failed to fire in her opening couple of starts in Open company behind stablemate Sharjah in the Morgiana and Matheson Hurdle.
Despite those underwhelming displays, the mare did show encouraging signs last time out when finishing third behind superstar mare Honeysuckle in the Irish Champion Hurdle and whilst the six-year-old was beaten 7l, it was a step back in the right direction for Willie Mullins’ charge.
Echoes in Rain has highlighted her free going nature during her races and although that can often scupper her winning chances in small-field contests, a strongly run large field handicap where she can obtain plenty of cover appears ideal. Willie Mullins’ landed the County with the well-backed Saint row in 2020 and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him repeat the feat in this year’s renewal with this talented mare.
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