The British Horseracing Authority has narrowly avoided the embarrassment of a hot favourite running with too much weight in the saddle after it emerged that Lossiemouth, last season’s Triumph Hurdle winner, had been set to carry 3lb more than her correct burden when making her seasonal debut in the Grade Two Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Lossiemouth was initially given a weight of 11st 3lb in Saturday’s race, which included her mares’ allowance of 7lb, but the published weight was amended to 11st on Friday morning, apparently because the conditions surrounding a penalty for her Grade One win at last year’s Festival had been incorrectly applied. Under the race’s conditions, a 6lb penalty is incurred for a Grade One win after 30 September 2022, but is reduced to 3lb if the win came in novice or juvenile company.
“Due to an error at the weights stage, we can confirm an incorrect penalty was added to Lossiemouth in the 3.00 at Cheltenham tomorrow,” a spokesperson for the BHA said on Friday morning. “A weight amendment has been published and she will now carry 11st. We apologise to anyone affected by this error.”
Several bookmakers – including the race sponsor – opened a market on Saturday’s race after the final declarations were published on Thursday morning. Lossiemouth was 11-10 with William Hill when betting opened before being backed to 5-6 overnight, and Willie Mullins’s mare was as short at 4-7 on Friday afternoon following the adjustment to her published weight.
The apparent problem with Lossiemouth’s weight was initially flagged up by racing journalist Tony Calvin, on the Betfair exchange’s Weighed In podcast, and the BHA is understood to be continuing an investigation into how the error occurred.
Lossiemouth has not raced since winning the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown in April, and while she had several pounds in hand of her rivals on ratings even before the weights were adjusted, her current price looks very thin against race-fit rivals on what will be her first start in all-aged company.
Love Envoi, who was less than two lengths behind Honeysuckle in a high-class renewal of the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last year, is a worthy opponent, but the most interesting option at the likely odds is Paul Nicholls’s Rubaud (3.00), at around 5-1.
The six-year-old was, inevitably, no match for Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton last month, but he had been progressing steadily in four wins prior to that race and could be a tough opponent to pass if, as seems likely, he gets an easy time of it in front.
Cheltenham 1.15 Victtorino has made rapid strides since joining Venetia Williams last summer and is up just 4lb for his win at Ascot last time.
Cheltenham 1.50 The return to Cheltenham, where he is unbeaten in three starts, could make all the difference for The Real Whacker, last season’s Brown Advisory Novice Chase winner at the Festival.
Doncaster 2.05 A strong hand for Willie Mullins, with Gala Marceau, last season’s Triumph Hurdle runner-up, marginally the pick of his two market-leading contenders.
Cheltenham 2.25 This looks a straightforward task for Jonbon ahead of his much-anticipated run against El Fabiolo in the Champion Chase in March.
Doncaster 11.50 Traprain Law 12.20 Wodhooh 12.55 Sans Bruit 1.30 Fiercely Proud 2.05 Gala Marceau 2.40 Range 3.15 Kandoo Kid 3.50 Monmiral
Cheltenham 12.05 Burdett Road 12.40 Tightenourbelts 1.15 Victtorino (nap) 1.50 The Real Whacker (nb) 2.25 Jonbon 3.00 Rubaud 3.35 Noble Yeats 4.10 Antrim Coast
Uttoxeter 12.48 Heure De Gloire 1.23 Roccos Inspiration 1.58 Marsh Wren 2.33 Wolfspear 3.08 Fiston De Becon 3.43 Here Comes McCoy 4.18 Jukebox D’Eddy
Newcastle 4.15 Artisan Dancer 4.45 Mintnthat 5.15 Dark Kestrel 5.45 Hand Jive 6.15 Quiet Resolve 6.45 Sir Benedict 7.15 Prince Of Zenda
Kempton 4.55 Alazwar 5.30 Silent Age 6.00 Parkland 6.30 Hieronymus 7.00 Cotai Vision 7.30 West End Charmer 8.00 Lupset Flossy Pop 8.30 Chacha Dancer
Doncaster 2.40 Lightly raced Range posted a decent time when successful at Chepstow last month and should progress for this step up in trip.
Doncaster 3.15 Kandoo Kid has progressed steadily in four chase starts, ran well when stepped up to Grade Two company last time and is still feasibly weighted on that form.
Cheltenham 3.35 The 2022 Grand National winner, Noble Yeats, is an intriguing runner back over hurdles and could be too much for his rivals to handle if anywhere close to his best.
