2016 Cheltenham Festival: McManus shows strength in depth in handicaps entries

Diamond King, trained in Ireland by Gordon Elliott, is 12/1 favoruite with the sponsors for the Coral Cup. Politologue is next best in at 14/1.

Elliott is also responsible for the current favourite in the Fred Winter, the McManus-owned Campeador, who has been heavily backed into 8/1.

Three handicaps take place on St Patrick’s Thursday, March 17th, the listed Pertemps Network Final (55 entries over 3m at 14:10), the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate (103 entries over 2m 5f at 16:10), and the concluding Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup (108 entries for amateur riders over 3m 2f at 17:30).

Game on for Cup Final in Pertemps Final

Trainer Nicky Henderson enjoyed his first success in the Pertemps Final last year with Call The Cops and is responsible this year for leading contender Cup Final, owned by McManus and 8/1 co-favourite with Coral.

Taquin Du Seuil landed the JLT Novices’ Chase at the Festival in 2014 and won at Warwick earlier this month, propelling him to the head of the market for the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate (14/1 jount-favourite).

The David Pipe trained Doctor Harper is an exciting novice and he currently heads the market at 8/1 with Coral for the Kim Muir Challenge Cup – a race his stable won last year with The Package.

Connections hoping for dream success with Henry Higgins

There would be no more appropriate winner of the Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle on Friday, March 18th (96 entries over 2m 1f at 14:10), than Henry Higgins who is trained by Charles O’Brien, son of the legendary trainer who the race is run in honour of.

Henry Higgins, who is also owned by McManus, is a 16/1 shot in this market, headed by fellow Irish raider Blue Hell and Desoto County on 10/1.

Also taking place on Gold Cup Day is the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (158 entries over 2m 4f at 16:50). David Pipe has five entries in the race run in honour of his father.

The Cheltenham Festival and betting draws to a close with the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (65 entries over 2m at 17:30). This race commemorates Nicky Henderson’s late father Johnny and the most successful trainer of all-time at The Festival has one entry with Lough Kent (20/1)
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Weights for all handicaps will be revealed at Cheltenham Racecourse on Wednesday, March 2nd. Stay tuned to Coral for more on all handicap racing relating to the Prestbury Park showpiece.

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Be sure to visit Coral’s Cheltenham page for all the latest news and tips in the build-up and during the Festival.