O'Leary lashes out at British handicapper over Dallas Des Pictons mark

Gigginstown House Stud have reignited their war of words with the British handicapper after Dallas Des Pictons was handed a mark of 147 over fences, which is 12lb higher than his Irish rating.

Gordon Elliott, who trains Dallas Des Pictons, questioned the handicapper’s reasoning behind the inflated mark and revealed he intends to speak with BHA head of handicapping Dominic Gardiner-Hill over the coming days to get an explanation.

Last season’s Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle runner-up, Dallas Des Pictons won a beginners' chase at Gowran Park in October but has disappointed on his last two starts, with Eddie O’Leary suggesting the inflated mark was a sign of things to come ahead of the Cheltenham Festival.

Dallas Des Pictons (centre, white blaze) finished second at the Cheltenham Festival last yearCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

O’Leary explained: “Dallas Des Pictons just about won a beginners chase when everything else around him fell and his two other chase efforts have been brutal. We've 135 in Ireland and he's 147 in England. How does that make sense?”

He added: “If this is welcome to Cheltenham, we know what's going to happen when the festival weights come out if that's the case.”

Gigginstown have never shied away from criticising Gardiner-Hill’s predecessor Phil Smith in public, generally in relation to Grand National weights, and O'Leary confirmed the mark he had been given will stop him from running in Britain.

Watch: Dallas Des Pictons finish second in the Martin Pipe

“He won't be going across now – we wouldn't cross the road with a mark like that," he said. "The handicapper is meant to be a referee. It feels now, in rugby terms, like we’re playing against 16 men.

"Our modus operandi has always been to target the Graded races, not handicaps.”

Asked about his thoughts on the mark of 157 over fences which was handed to 2018 Ballymore winner Samcro, who has disappointed on his last two starts over fences, O’Leary responded: “That's grand. We'll just stick to conditions races with Samcro. There's no issue there.”

Elliott was in agreement with O’Leary over Samcro’s mark, but suggested the 12lbs added to Dallas Des Pictons left him dumbfounded.

The trainer said: “It's disappointing. He's 12lb higher in England than he is in Ireland, which doesn't make much sense.”

Elliott added: “I haven't spoken to the English handicapper yet, but I will. He has his job to do, which is fair enough, but it's very disappointing for us.

"I don't know how you could call it a level playing field – I don't know where he got that rating from to be honest.”

If you are interested in this, you should read:

O'Leary hits back at Smith and confirms trio will be taken out

Tombstone tempter: is Phil Smith now back in O'Leary's good books?

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