50-1, 28-1, 25-1 - the system that finds big-priced Cheltenham Festival winners

The entries for the Cheltenham handicaps were revealed on Wednesday and most punters are now waiting with bated breath for Tuesday, when the weights will finally be unveiled.

Never before has there been such anticipation for what is often a routine event because the BHA has been pressed into action to change the way British horses will be handicapped in order to correct a perceived imbalance in ratings. This should tell us how they have done it.

There have been many reasons put forward for why the Irish dominated the handicaps last season. Maybe the British handicap system was broken or could it be, as some punters have suggested, that Irish trainers are just shrewder operators who are better at 'playing the game'?