TRAINER Ferdy Murphy yesterday hit out at "scandalous" handicapping that has almost certainly cost him one of his biggest chances of tasting Cheltenham Festival glory.

He condemned the assessment of jumps handicapper Christopher Mordaunt whose rating of his impressive Uttoxeter winner French Holly has virtually ruled him out the Bi Group Festival Bumper on tomorrow's card.

French Holly was expected to feature among the favourites for the race, yet by being given a ballot number of 11, 1O of the 46 entries must withdraw before he can get into the field.

Middleham-based Murphy protested to Mordaunt and the British Horseracing Board yesterday but to no avail and has had to advise owner Kieran Flood to cancel his trip from Ireland.

"It's absolutely scandalous. I was gob-smacked when I found out. This is one of the better horses we have and I was quietly confident that he could finish in the first three," he complained.

"But Mr Mordaunt refuses to accept that he has made a mistake and the BHB can't help. We've rung round the other trainers with entries and established that the chances of getting in are practically nil."

French Holly won his only start in convincing fashion at Uttoxeter in February, beating runners from the stables of Oliver Sherwood and David Nicholson.

"He couldn't have won any easier and never came off the bridle. I know David Nicholson thinks a lot of his horse and the sixth horse has won since," added Murphy.