Monday, February 20, 2006

HUGE ENTRIES FOR 10 FESTIVAL HANDICAPS

The 104 WILLIAM HILL TROPHY HANDICAP CHASE entries include 19-trained by Martin Pipe, among them Therealbandit, Joacci and It Takes Time, while the 16 Irish-trained possibles include Robin Cook Memorial Gold Cup winner Sir Oj, dual totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup third Harbour Pilot and the Tony Martin-trained Dun Doire.

Last year’s winner Spot Thedifference is among 44 entries for the SPORTING INDEX HANDICAP CHASE, which was added to The Festival line-up in 2005, while the FRED WINTER JUVENILE HANDICAP - another new addition last year - has attracted no less than 90 four-year-olds.

The CORAL CUP has the biggest entry of any of the handicaps, with a record 151 horses going forward including last year’s winner Idole First while another 2005 Festival hero who could bid to repeat his success is Juveigneur, one of 124 FULKE WALWYN KIM MUIR HANDICAP CHASE entries.

Foreman, Turpin Green, Star De Mohaison and Wild Passion are just a few of the classy 90-strong entry for the second renewal of the JEWSON NOVICES’ HANDICAP CHASE while the RACING POST PLATE has attracted 109 entries for the first running under its new sponsorship.

The PERTEMPS FINAL (HANDICAP HURDLE) has a record 79 entries while the JOHNNY HENDERSON GRAND ANNUAL CHASE has 84 entered including six trained by Nicky Henderson, whose father is remembered in the race title.

The 2006 Festival is set to end on a competitive note with no less than 131 entries in the
VINCENT O’BRIEN COUNTY HANDICAP HURDLE, which brings the curtain down on proceedings on Friday, March 17.

Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham’s Managing Director, commented: “The 10 handicaps form an integral part of The Festival and their popularity is illustrated by the huge number of entries this year.”


2006 FESTIVAL NUMBER OF ENTRIES
THE 10 HANDICAPS WHICH CLOSED ON FEBRUARY 15, 2006

WILLIAM HILL TROPHY CHASE
2006- 104
2005- 88
2004- 73
2003- 92
2002- 81
2001- 100
2000- 74
1999- 74
1998- 74
1997- 64
1996- 62
1995- 78
1994- 73

SPORTING INDEX CHASE
2006- 44
2005- 51 First running in 2005

FRED WINTER JUV HCP HDL
2006- 90
2005- 96 First running in 2005

CORAL CUP
2006- 151
2005- 130
2004- 135
2003- 109
2002- 115
2001- 141
2000- 100
1999- 103
1998- 83
1997- 101
1996- 81
1995- 84
1994- 77

F WALWYN KIM MUIR CHASE
2006- 124
2005- 117
2004- 114
2003- 111
2002 -109
2001- 125
2000- 90
1999- 85
1998 -72
1997- 61
1996- 62
1995- 67
1994- 68

JEWSON NOVICES’ HCP CHS
2006- 118
2005- 86 First running in 2005

RACING POST PLATE
2006- 109
2005- 87
2004- 74
2003- 75
2002- 85
2001- 103
2000- 92
1999- 73
1998- 77
1997- 63
1996- 58
1997- 52
1996- 58

PERTEMPS FINAL
2006- 79
2005- 77
2004- 48
2003- 62
2002- 59
2001- 56
2000- 46
1999- 47
1998- 60
1997- 66
1996- 68
1995- 67
1994- 58

J HENDERSON GRAND ANNUAL
2006- 84
2005- 77
2004- 62
2003- 54
2002- 72
2001- 72
2000- 47
1999- 50
1998- 45
1997- 43
1996- 38
1995- 34
1994- 36

VINCENT O'BRIEN COUNTY HDL
2006- 131
2005- 134
2004- 109
2003- 110
2002- 115
2001- 112
2000- 98
1999- 114
1998- 93
1997- 92
1996- 102
1995- 90
1994- 78

TOTALS
2006- 1034
2005- 943
2004- 615
2003- 613
2002- 636
2001- 709
2000- 547
1999- 546
1998- 504
1997- 490
1996- 471
1995- 472
1994- 448

IRISH-TRAINED ENTRIES
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
WILLIAM HILL TROPHY CHASE 16 10 10 18 5 14 8 7 8 5 7 10
SPORTING INDEX CHASE 12 13 First running in 2005
FRED WINTER JUV HCP HDL 24 20 First running in 2005
CORAL CUP 32 27 28 29 28 44 24 24 21 21 15 16
F WALWYN KIM MUIR CHASE 24 25 16 29 15 21 14 8 9 7 5 8
JEWSON NOVICES’ HCP CHS 24 18 First running in 2005
RACING POST PLATE 22 11 11 16 19 18 19 6 4 9 10 7
PERTEMPS FINAL 17 14 12 14 13 15 12 6 11 5 12 8
J HENDERSON GRAND ANNUAL 19 13 12 17 17 16 9 6 2 8 5 6
VINCENT O'BRIEN COUNTY HDL 37 30 22 30 34 33 25 30 24 25 25 20
TOTALS 227 181 111 153 131 161 111 87 79 80 79 75

NUMBER OF ENTRIES - 11 CHAMPIONSHIP RACES
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
Q MOTHER CHAMPION CHSE 29 19 25 23 32 25 22 28 19 17 21 15
TOTE CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP 64 40 32 49 43 38 44 46 38 44 38 35
SMURFIT CHAMPION HURDLE 35 35 48 44 40 47 33 41 44 50 66 24
LADBROKES WORLD HDLE 50 35 33 33 48 56 36 51 43 49 51 39
IRISH INDEPENDENT ARKLE CHS 57 48 42 47 57 51 47 58 51 46 30 30
ROYAL & SUNALLIANCE CHASE 91 61 64 72 82 61 84 88 75 81 61 54
AIB SUPREME NOV HDLE 113 119 106 127 156 139 122 107 130 122 108 87
ROYAL & SUNALLIANCE HDLE 138 147 113 128 169 160 137 120 147 150 128 114
JCB TRIUMPH HDLE 116 89 125 111 103 123 89 95 100 108 107 99
BRIT INSURANCE NOV HDL 114 117 First running in 2005
RYANAIR CHASE 54 39 First running in 2005
TOTALS 861 749 588 634 730 700 614 634 647 667 608 497

IRISH-TRAINED ENTRIES - 11 CHAMPIONSHIP RACES
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
Q MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE 11 5 8 6 5 5 3 5 2 4 3 0
TOTE CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP 9 5 9 9 8 13 9 7 6 8 7 6
SMURFIT CHAMPION HURDLE 13 12 13 12 12 11 7 6 10 14 12 6
LADBROKES WORLD HURDLE 13 5 12 6 10 12 4 5 4 10 13 8
IRISH INDEPENDENT ARKLE CHS 19 17 12 17 15 12 9 17 11 6 8 7
ROYAL & SUNALLIANCE CHASE 28 17 19 20 24 11 12 16 13 7 10 8
AIB SUPREME NOV HDLE 45 41 30 38 46 44 28 24 31 31 29 26
ROYAL & SUNALLIANCE HDLE 44 51 35 39 40 38 34 23 29 31 26 25
JCB TRIUMPH HDLE 34 21 38 20 21 31 20 21 20 22 20 20
BRIT INSURANCE NOV HDL 36 40 First running in 2005
RYANAIR CHASE 16 10 First running in 2005
TOTALS 268 224 176 167 181 177 126 124 126 133 128 106

MARTIN PIPE’S ENTRIES FOR THE 10 FESTIVAL HANDICAPS

WILLIAM HILL TROPHY HANDICAP CHASE
2006-19 entries:
2005-11; 2004-17; 2003-15; 2002-15; 2001-15; 2000-12; 1999-9; 1998-11; 1997-5; 1996-3; 1995 - 6; 1994-9; 1993-3; 1992-8

SPORTING INDEX HANDICAP CHASE (CROSS COUNTRY)
2006-0 entries:
2005-0

FRED WINTER JUVENILE HANDICAP HURDLE
2006-2 entries:
2005-11

CORAL CUP (HANDICAP HURDLE)
2006-14 entries:
2005-19; 2004-18; 2003-23; 2002-21; 2001-16; 2000-17; 1999-22; 1998-11; 1997-11; 1996-4; 1995-7; 1994-7; 1993-5.

FULKE WALWYN KIM MUIR HANDICAP CHASE
2006-11 entries:
2005-13; 2004-17; 2003-7; 2002-10; 2001-10; 2000-7; 1999 -10; 1998-11; 1997-5; 1996-3; 1995-7; 1994-6; 1993-8; 1992-9.

JEWSON NOVICES’ HANDICAP CHASE
2006-9 entries:
2005-5

RACING POST PLATE
2006-12 entries:
2005-10; 2004-13; 2003-12; 2002-13; 2001-15; 2000-13; 1999-13; 1998 -5; 1997-5; 1996-5; 1995-5; 1994-6; 1993-8; 1992-8.

PERTEMPS FINAL (HANDICAP HURDLE)
2006-18 entries:
2005-15; 2004-10; 2003-14; 2002-19; 2001-15; 2000-12; 1999-16; 1998-14; 1997-15; 1996 -9; 1995-12; 1994-1; 1993-2; 1992-9.

JOHNNY HENDERSON GRAND ANNUAL HANDICAP CHASE
2006- 10 entries:
2005-6; 2004-7; 2003-3; 2002-7; 2001-8; 2000-3; 1999-7; 1998 -3; 1997- 4; 1996-2; 1995 -1; 1994-2; 1993-4; 1992-6.

VINCENT O’BRIEN COUNTY HANDICAP HURDLE
2006- 12 entries:
2005-14; 2004-10; 2003-17; 2002-16; 2001-13; 2000-21; 1999-15; 1998 -5; 1997-9; 1996 -7; 1995-2; 1994-7; 1993-7; 1992-9.

In 2006, Martin Pipe has a total of 160 (8.4%) of the 1,895 entries in the 11 championship races and 10 handicaps which have now closed, compared to 161 (9.5%) of the 1,692 entries in 2005. In 2004, when there were nine championship contests and seven handicaps Pipe had 152 (12.6%) of the 1,203 entries, 157 (12.6%) of the 1,247 entries in 2003, 207 (15.2%) of the 1,366 entries in 2002, 181 (12.8%) of the 1,409 entries in 2001, 163 (14.0%) of the 1,161 entries in 2000, 176 (14.9%) of the 1,180 entries in 1999, 138 (11.9%) of the 1,151 entries in 1998, 98 (8.5%) of the 1,157 entries in 1997, 80 (7.4%) of the 1,079 entries in 1996, and 91 (9.4%) of the 969 entries in 1995.

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