Post weights set for a hefty rise
Nicky Henderson’s Fondmort is now set to shoulder top weight of 11st 12lbs in the Kempton Park feature on Saturday, for which 23 entries remain.
The Seven Barrows trainer also has Katarino in the three-mile handicap.
Next in the list after Fondmort is Richard Phillips’ improving mare La Landiere, who will attempt a remarkable six-timer if lining up for Saturday’s £100,000 contest.
Phillips will not make a decision before Wednesday over where his progressive chaser will run this week. La Landiere has the option of the Michael Page Finance Handicap Chase over two-and-a-half miles at Warwick on Thursday or stepping up to three miles for the Racing Post Chase.
Phillips, who is keeping an eye on the weather forecast, said: “I won’t make a decision until I have to, but I imagine she will run somewhere this week.
“If I‘m going to go three miles with her then they say Kempton is the place to do it, but they will go a ferocious pace there.”
Meanwhile Tony McCoy has been installed 9-4 favourite to win the Daily Telegraph Cheltenham Festival Top Jockey Award by Paddy Power.
McCoy has been top rider at the Festival twice before with three winners in 1997 and five 12 months later.
The champion jockey, who on the whole had a disappointing time last season with just one victory to his name, has so far enjoyed 13 Festival successes.
Charlie Swan, who took the title in 1993 and 1994, is the winning-most Festival jockey currently riding with 17 triumphs but is a 33-1 shot for next month’s meeting.
Paddy Power betting for top Cheltenham Festival jockey: 9-4 Tony McCoy, 3-1 Ruby Walsh, 7-1 Norman Williamson, Mick Fitzgerald, Jim Culloty, 8-1 Barry Geraghty, 12-1 Liam Cooper, 14-1 Richard Johnson, Paul Carberry, 20-1 Timmy Murphy, 33-1 Charlie Swan, 40-1 Tony Dobbin.
