Festival Handicap Weights Revealed

Betting on the 10 ultra-competitive handicaps at The Festival is sure to step up a gear following today´s publication of the races´ weights.

The Jonjo O´Neill-trained Keen Leader and Le Coudray, trained by Christy Roche, share top weight of 11st 12lb in the WILLIAM HILL TROPHY HANDICAP CHASE, in which the sponsor´s ante-post favourite Lord Of Illusion has 10st 7lb.

Rince Ri leads the field for the first running of THE SPORTING INDEX HANDICAP CHASE on 11st 12lb, 8lb ahead of stablemate Commanche Court and ante-post favourite Spot Thedifference. There are 53 in the handicap for the new FRED WINTER JUVENILE HANDICAP HURDLE, while the inaugural JEWSON NOVICES´ HANDICAP CHASE currently has four joint top-weights.

Monkerhostin, who won the CORAL CUP off 10st 8lb last year, has 18lb more to carry this time around, while trainer Paul Nicholls provides the 11st 12lb top weights Le Roi Miguel and Armaturk, respectively in the MILDMAY OF FLETE HANDICAP CHASE and JOHNNY HENDERSON GRAND ANNUAL CHASE. The 2003 Smurfit Champion Hurdle hero Rooster Booster heads the VINCENT O´BRIEN COUNTY HANDICAP HURDLE, in which he was successful three years ago, on 11st 12lb.

It Takes Time, recent winner of the Grade 1 totesport Chase at Lingfield, will have to shoulder no less than 12st 11lb if he contests the FULKE WALWYN KIM MUIR HANDICAP CHASE with ante-post favourite Joly Bey given 12st 5lb in the same event.

The top-weights are as follows:

WILLIAM HILL TROPHY HANDICAP CHASE
11-12 Keen Leader (Jonjo O´Neill)
11-12 Le Coudray (Christy Roche IRE)

SPORTING INDEX HANDICAP CHASE
11-12 Rince Ri (Ted Walsh IRE)

FRED WINTER JUVENILE HANDICAP HURDLE
11-12 Cerium (Paul Nicholls)

CORAL CUP (HANDICAP HURDLE)
11-12 Monkerhostin (Philip Hobbs)

FULKE WALWYN KIM MUIR HANDICAP CHASE
12-11 It Takes Time (Martin Pipe)

JEWSON NOVICES´ HANDICAP CHASE
11-10 Limerick Boy (Venetia Williams) 11-10 Le Passing (Paul Nicholls)
11-10 Lacdoudal (Philip Hobbs)
11-10 My Will (Paul Nicholls)

MILDMAY OF FLETE HANDICAP CHASE
11-12 Le Roi Miguel (Paul Nicholls)

PERTEMPS FINAL (HANDICAP HURDLE)
11-12 Korelo (Martin Pipe)

JOHNNY HENDERSON GRAND ANNUAL CHASE
11-12 Armaturk (Paul Nicholls)

VINCENT O´BRIEN COUNTY HANDICAP HURDLE
11-12 Rooster Booster (Philip Hobbs)