Cheltenham Festival contender Sa Majeste - last seen beating Noble Yeats in the Party Time Hurdle at Limerick on December 27 and entered in both the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle and Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle - was this week given an official BHA rating of 140 and we get the thoughts on that figure from the assistant trainer and a Timeform analyst and handicapper.
Billy Nash - Timeform analyst and handicapper
"We spoke about this horse back in January and hit on a mark of around 140 as what we thought would be a fair mark for Sa Majeste and I think they'll be thrilled with it.
"Looking back at some of Willie's other recent handicap winners at Cheltenham - Galopin Des Champs won the Martin Pipe off 142, State Man won a County Hurdle off 141, so they know exactly what's required to win off a mark like this.
"He's an impossible horse to get a proper handle on from a handicapper's point of view but I'm sure they'll think they've got loads in hand off that (140). And I would say, whatever race he runs in, he's going to be a pretty short price for."
Patrick Mullins - Assistant trainer and amateur jockey
"I think 140 is a very workable mark, he's a horse that does some very good work at home.
"Look, the form at Christmas with Noble Yeats is hard to weigh up really, Noble Yeats was maybe coming on for the run but we'd be disappointed if he wasn't getting into the high 140s by the end of his hurdling career.
"When he won at Christmas, he's not a novice so his options were limited and it kind of made sense then to skip the DRF and have a crack at Cheltenham, even though the Leopardstown race is worth more money, and that's what we decided to do.
"He's in the Martin Pipe and the Coral Cup and I don't think there's any leaning yet one way or the other. Obviously, JP (McManus, owner) will have a say as he'll have other horses, and we'll be easy enough but I'm sure Mark Walsh would like to get on him (in the Coral Cup)."
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