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2026 Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase (A Limited Handicap)

Eggs

Eggs

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ENTRIES FEBRUARY 17th WEIGHTS FEBRUARY 24th


CHELTENHAM Wednesday, March 12th

THE GLENFARCLAS CROSS COUNTRY STEEPLE CHASE
(A LIMITED HANDICAP)
(CLASS 2)
(GBB RACE)

For five yrs old and upwards

THREE MILES ABOUT SIX FURLONGS (3m 5f 201yds)

Highest weight .......11st 10lb
Lowest weight ...... 10st 5lb

Which have started a minimum of FOUR Steeple Chases
in Britain, Ireland or France

Its is a Condition of this race, that horses which have not previously run in Cross Country races are to be schooled over the course prior to running.

In the even that he Cross Country course is deemed unraceable, the racecourse reserves the right to transfer this race, to the Old Course, at any stage, to be run over THREE MILES ABOUT 6F (3m 5f 201yds)


2025 1st Stumptown 8-11-10 5/2f Gavin Cromwell - Keith Donoghue - OR 157

2025. 1st OR 157, 2nd OR 144, 3rd OR 147, 4th OR 138 (High OR 157, Low OR 138) 16 ran
 
Reserved for entries and weights.
 
Matt Tombs just raised a really important point on his (Matchbook Cheltenham Trail) podcast for this.

The weight range for the XC is only 19lb. There is a rule for this race that you can not run if you are more than 15lb out of the handicap. With Stumptown rated 163 then anything rated below 129 would be ineligible to run. This means that horses like J'arrive de l'est, escaria ten, placenet would not be able to run. The key issue regarding bets though is that these horses would be deemed ineligible to run rather than balloted out and under ante post rules horses that are ineligible are losers whereas horses balloted out are stakes returned. Matt said that he'd asked Bet 365 how they would settle this and apparently they confirmed that they would be losers.

so be careful with ante post bets
 
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Anybody betting on a horse more than 15lb out for the handicap deserved to lose to be fair.

It's been obvious for a good while that Stumptown would take a load of these out of the handicap.
 
Benjy23 said:
Anybody betting on a horse more than 15lb out for the handicap deserved to lose to be fair.

It's been obvious for a good while that Stumptown would take a load of these out of the handicap.
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tbf, I think the fact that it is a 19lb handicap rather than a 28lb handicap would not have been obvious to all.
 
When do we know the fate of this race handicap wise ? Will Favouri's chances become better or worse with anything being announced (Not today im guessing)
 
Karre D'As an interesting Cross Country entry from Cottin. Multiple grade 3 winning mare in France and only a 6yo. She also holds a mares chase entry. Rated 72.5 in France which if doubled is 145, which would have her in the handicap at least.
 
Runragged said:
Karre D'As an interesting Cross Country entry from Cottin. Multiple grade 3 winning mare in France and only a 6yo. She also holds a mares chase entry. Rated 72.5 in France which if doubled is 145, which would have her in the handicap at least.
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Been priced at 20/1 with Willhill nrmb and 1/4 odds 4 places so I have had a small e/w stab. First bet in what is a pretty uninspiring race considering Stumptown will be looking to win a handicap off a mark in the low 160s. An unexposed French mare looks a good place to begin and a strong candidate to shorten in the betting especially if looks likely to get soft ground.
 
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Runragged said:
Been priced at 20/1 with Willhill nrmb and 1/4 odds 4 places so I have had a small e/w stab. First bet in what is a pretty uninspiring race considering Stumptown will be looking to win a handicap off a mark in the low 160s. An unexposed French mare looks a good place to begin and a strong candidate to shorten in the betting especially if looks likely to get soft ground.
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Yeah I completely get the price/trading angle, not sure I could get heavily interested in a 6yo that's never run over banks but Cottin knows the time of day and what it takes to win one of these so you have to respect her.
If taking the 20s I'd be looking to trade off for a free bet...
 
Istabraq said:
Yeah I completely get the price/trading angle, not sure I could get heavily interested in a 6yo that's never run over banks but Cottin knows the time of day and what it takes to win one of these so you have to respect her.
If taking the 20s I'd be looking to trade off for a free bet...
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The Auteuil course she won on is practically a cross country course with different types of obstacles to jump including a bank. More of a problem is the mile further trip as she looks quite a keen going type. She certainly has ability anyway.
 
Stumptown 162
Favori De Champdou 157
French Dynamite 152
Desertmore House 140
Vanillier 145
Final Orders 147
Fakir D'Oudairies 145
Conflated 145
The Goffer 135
J'Arrive De L'Est 126
 
Actually thought Stumptown may get a little more...
 
Vanillier seems fair. 1lb less than he ran off at Haydock at Xmas. Any horse rated less than 143 will now be out the handicap.
 
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Hurricane fly said:
Vanillier 7lbs better off with Stumptown vs last year where he lost to him by 7 lengths.

So its whats the biggest impacter, a slipped saddle on the run in or going the wrong way
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Categorically the value play IMO. Stumptown the younger (potential improver), but not seen all year, would’ve liked to have seen atleast an average run. Will be giving shedloads of weight to the field as well.
 
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Any love for conflated ? I’m sure remember seeing somewhere that he’d taken well to the xc fences
 
Pisto said:
Any love for conflated ? I’m sure remember seeing somewhere that he’d taken well to the xc fences
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Yes......about 3 seasons ago...... definitely not true though !
 
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