With the Cheltenham handicap weights being released this week there are plenty of talking points. Irish hurdlers have gone up on average around 3lbs, while chasers got an average increase of 2lbs on their home marks. But, there are a few eye-catching outliers on the averages.

Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, 16:50 Tuesday

There were concerns as to whether early market leader Lark In The Mornin would sneak into the race, but after being given a rating of 122 (a 2lb increase on his Irish mark), he looks sure to get a run at least. Trends in the race would tend to favour juveniles with a slightly higher rating though with nine of the last twelve winners coming into this with a rating between 125 and 134.

Batman Girac looks to be the main Closutton hope and they are sure to be happy with the unrevised 133 rating he will run off. Although they won’t be quite as pleased as the French raider’s as leading fancy Milan Tino looks to have been given a massive chance on a mark of 126. A generous 10lb drop on his French rating of 136 will surely make him a leading player.

I was impressed with the performances of Givemefive so far this season and after being given a rating of 126 he looks to have a good chance at a bigger price if connections opted to take this route. Although this race has been dominated by Irish runners in recent renewals, he looks an interesting British entry for an up and coming yard.

County Handicap Hurdle, 14:10 Friday

I’ve been a fan of Zenta for quite a while now and if taking up this engagement she will head to The Festival off an unrevised Irish mark of 142. Willie Mullins likes to target this race with young progressive hurdlers and she fits that billing. After getting big field handicap experience under her belt at the DRF and there could be a lot more to come from this exciting five-year-old.

Gordon Elliott is yet to land a County Hurdle but seems to have been given a good chance by the handicapper this year with King Of Kingfield also receiving an unrevised Irish mark (140) for this year's renewal. A horse who Gordon had described as disappointing in the past, he seems to have put it together this year and could produce a big performance.

Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase, 16:50 Wednesday

Saint Roi looks to have been campaigned with handicaps in mind and has been given a rating of 152 by the BHA handicapper. A 2lb increase on his Irish mark doesn’t seem overly harsh, although disappointing last time in a Grade 1 at the DRF he did run a big race at Fairyhouse off a mark of 151 back in January. Although Willie Mullins’ has never won a Festival handicap chase, it’s surely only a matter of time.

Big Hikes

While as a whole the handicapper did not seem overly harsh on Irish runners as a whole, there were a few outliers to that rule. Tony Martin’s chasers Read To Return (+11lbs) and Good Time Jonny (+10lbs) seemed to get the worse of it. Good Time Jonny did win the Pertemps Final last year off the same rating he now holds over fences, but after being beaten an average of 45 lengths on all chase starts this year he’s hard to fancy.

Similar to Good Time Jonny, the handicapper also seems to have tried to narrow the disparity between chase and hurdles marks for the Henry De Bromhead trained Gabbys Cross. A winner of the Galway Blazers off a rating of 137 back in 2022, he was rejuvenated since switching back to hurdles off a much lower mark. After an eye-catching run in Punchestown back in November he looked well-in on Irish ratings in the Pertemps, however after getting a 6lb hike it will be more difficult.

18+ Play Responsibly. Begambleaware.org