Flood of entries for Cheltenham

BRITISH Horseracing Authority senior handicapper Phil Smith believes the improved quality of horse in the United Kingdom is making it increasingly difficult for connections to get a run in the Cheltenham Festival handicaps.

Smith unveiled the weights for the 11 handicaps at the meeting yesterday and highlighted the increasing strength in depth of the races – a point underscored by another bumper subscription to the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle. A total of 177 entries have been made for a race with a 24-runner safety limit, and the ante-post favourite Qaspal needs 97 runners to drop out for a run in the 19 March event.

Smith said: "The quality of animals in this country is making it increasingly difficult to get a run. More and more horses are wanting to run at the Cheltenham Festival as it is so important to owners and trainers."

Qaspal is the 10-1 co-favourite with Paddy Power for the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle and may boost his chance of making the cut in the Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown on Saturday week.

Should he succeed in Esher, he will be eligible for a 75,000 bonus if following up at Cheltenham, where he would rocket up the weights courtesy of a 5lb penalty.

Meanwhile, all the big guns have stood their ground for the John Smith's Grand National, with just 13 horses being withdrawn at the latest forfeit stage. There has been no rise in the weights for the Aintree spectacular as the trio who head the handicap on 11st 10lb – Albertas Run, Madison Du Berlais and Notre Pere – are all among the acceptors. Mouse Morris was unhappy with the initial weight allotted to War Of Attrition (11st 1lb) but has left his charge in the contest at this stage. Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has five horses remaining in one of the few big races still to elude him, including the ante-post favourite Tricky Trickster.

It is relatively ordinary fare in Britain today, but the card in Meydan, Dubai, has been billed Super Thursday. Cavalryman, last seen finishing third behind Sea The Stars in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, will make his debut for Saeed bin Suroor. The four-year-old had previously won the Grand Prix de Paris and the Prix Niel before getting to within two and a quarter lengths of the wonder horse. He will run in the Group 2Maktoum Challenge III, over the same ten-furlong Tapeta course as the Dubai World Cup, and will be joined by stablemate Allybar (Ahmed Ajtebi) who has lowered the colours of Presvis and Crowded House so far at the Carnival. "Cavalryman is a horse I like and he is working well, but we need to see him race on the surface to decide his big night target," said Bin Suroor of Frankie Dettori's mount.

Taking the Godolphin duo on are the Mike de Kock pair of Lizard's Desire and Mr Brock. Vodka, winner of the Japan Cup and last year's World Cup runner-up Gloria De Campeao are also in the field. Godolphin's Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Vale Of York reappears in the Listed Al Bastakiya, taking on De Kock's impressive UAE 2000 Guineas winner Musir.