BHA to investigate Cheltenham Festival weights leak which put some punters a step ahead
![Sire Du Berlais (second right, green and gold) in the early stages of the 2019 Pertemps Final](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fs3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com%2Fprod-media-racingpost%2Fprod%2Fimages%2F169_1008%2F6de7695054cd-horse-racing-sire-du-berlais-early.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
The BHA has opened an investigation into how the weights for the Cheltenham Festival handicaps came into circulation before they were announced at a special weights launch this week.
The leak of information meant punters in the know would have been able to profit from taking advantageous odds before the weights became available to the wider public. The BHA has said steps will be taken to ensure there is no repetition of this in future.
The Cheltenham handicaps weights, which are framed by BHA handicappers, are then sent to Weatherbys, racing's administrative body, and to Jockey Club Racecourses, the owner of Cheltenham. They were originally set to be announced by the Jockey Club as soon as they were received last Tuesday, but that was pushed back so they could be unveiled at a function at noon on Wednesday. However, copies of the weights were in circulation during the preceding 24 hours.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on inBritain
Last updated
- 'Apprenticeships mean people like me have had a door opened' - how racing is creating pathways into the industry
- 'I don't think it's a waste of time' - wind op for Ahoy Senor as he is primed for latest tilt at Cheltenham Gold Cup
- Jordan Gainford 'on his way home' from hospital after Haydock fall
- 'You miss the craic but I still get some of that in the building trade' - the Ascot Chase-winning rider now working as an electrician
- Fulke Johnson Houghton obituary: a trainer of champions and Classic winners and part of a family steeped in racing
- 'Apprenticeships mean people like me have had a door opened' - how racing is creating pathways into the industry
- 'I don't think it's a waste of time' - wind op for Ahoy Senor as he is primed for latest tilt at Cheltenham Gold Cup
- Jordan Gainford 'on his way home' from hospital after Haydock fall
- 'You miss the craic but I still get some of that in the building trade' - the Ascot Chase-winning rider now working as an electrician
- Fulke Johnson Houghton obituary: a trainer of champions and Classic winners and part of a family steeped in racing