The BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle (Coral Cup) is often host to the greatest number of runners at any race at the Cheltenham Festival. A maximum field of 24 can go to post. With so many runners to choose from, GG’s experts have analysed this great handicap in fine detail so that you can find this year’s winner.
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Andrew Mount’s BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle (Coral Cup) Tips
14:40 BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)
Result
4th 40/1
A regular at the Cheltenham Festival, Andrew believes Ballyadam can extend his amazingly consistent record at the meeting. He also tips top-weight The Yellow Clay, who is a good trends fit, and was a game runner-up in Grade 1 company behind The New Lion here last season.
Matty Sutcliffe’s BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle (Coral Cup) Tips
14:40 BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)
J: Ben Jones
T: Emma Lavelle
Result
14th 25/1
In the race formerly known as the Coral Cup, Matty believes Guard Duty stands a firm chance for Emma Lavelle. This strong traveller may be able to coast into contention with a pace to aim at.
BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle Bookmaker Odds – Race 3, Wednesday 11th March 2:40
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All About The BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle (Coral Cup) in 2027
This year’s BetMGM Cup will only take shape nearer the spring. With it being a handicap, 24 runners will go to post as one of the tougher puzzles of the entire week. Storm Heart boasts a similar profile to Willie Mullins’ past winners of this race, and heads in as favourite.
Qualifications/Trends
Although open to four-year-olds and upwards, no horse from that youngest bracket has ever run in the Coral Cup. With no weight-for-age allowances and plenty of alternative options, that seems unlikely to change any time soon.
What is striking when looking through the list of Coral Cup winners is the modern sway towards class horses winning through. Four of the first six winners of the race carried just 10st, but six of the last eight winners have borne 11st or more.
Unlike some handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival the Coral Cup is yet to become the domain of well-treated novices. Aux Ptits Soins, in 2015, was the only novice to win in the last decade and he was remarkably doing so on his first ever start for Paul Nicholls.
This is also a race that the Irish got a grip on long before their recent domination of the Festival. 13 of the 30 winners have been trained in Ireland, while five of the last eight winners have been.
Prize Money in 2026
The 2025 winner Jimmy Du Seuil won £61,897.00.
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BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle (Coral Cup) History
The only race to retain the same sponsorship since its inauguration, Coral had sponsored their titular “Cup” for every running at the Festival. However, that is due to change in 2026; as yet, a sponsor for this race remains unfound.
The first of those came in 1993 and a suitably sporting winner rewarded favourite pacers, as Olympian struck for Martin Pipe just four days after having won the Imperial Cup at Sandown. It was also the horse’s third win in 12 days, as well as eight-time Champion Jockey Peter Scuadmore’s final Cheltenham Festival victory.
Pipe was the first man to win the race twice, either as a trainer or a jockey, when Big Strand won in 1997, but the race’s competitive nature and field size ensured that a variety of people have shared the prize. Pipe’s supremacy at the top of the pile did not last though, despite adding another win courtesy of Ilnamar in 2002.
Unsurprisingly, it is one of the modern behemoths who has overtaken him. Nicky Henderson can now claim four victories in the race, all of which have come since 2010. He was aided in two of those races by Barry Geraghty, whose three wins have him equal at the top with Davy Russell in this race.
The Coral Cup witnessed genuine history in 2024 with its first ever two-time winner. Langer Dan came alive in the spring to secure back-to-back renewals for Dan and Harry Skelton off the same mark of 141 each time.
Winners since 2000
| Year | Horse | Jockey/Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | What’s Up Boys | J:Paul Flynn T:Phillip Hobbs | 33/1 |
| 2001 | VOID | J:N/A T:N/A | VOID |
| 2002 | Ilnamar | J:Rodi Greene T:Martin Pipe | 25/1 |
| 2003 | Xenophon | J:Mick Fitzgerald T:Tony Martin | 4/1F |
| 2004 | Monkerhostin | J:Richard Johnson T:Philip Hobbs | 13/2 |
| 2005 | Idole First | J:Alan O’Keeffe T:Venetia Williams | 33/1 |
| 2006 | Sky’s The Limit | J:Barry Geraghty T:Edward O’Grady | 11/1 |
| 2007 | Burntoakboy | J:Sam Jones T: Dr Richard Newland | 10/1 |
| 2008 | Naiad Du Misselot | J:Davy Russell T:Ferdy Murphy | 7/1 |
| 2009 | Ninetieth Minute | J:Paddy Flood T:Tom Taaffe | 14/1 |
| 2010 | Spirit River | J:Barry Geraghty T:Nicky Henderson | 14/1 |
| 2011 | Carlito Brigante | J:Davy Russell T:Gordon Elliott | 16/1 |
| 2012 | Son Of Flicka | J:Jason Maguire T:Donald McCain | 16/1 |
| 2013 | Medinas | J:Wayne Hutchinson T:Alan King | 33/1 |
| 2014 | Whisper | J:Nico De Boinville T:Nicky Henderson | 14/1 |
| 2015 | Aux Ptits Soins | J:Sam Twiston-Davies T:Paul Nicholls | 9/1 |
| 2016 | Diamond King | J:Davy Russell T:Gordon Elliott | 12/1 |
| 2017 | Supasundae | J:Robbie Power T:Jessica Harrington | 16/1 |
| 2018 | Bleu Berry | J:Mark Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 20/1 |
| 2019 | William Henry | J:Nico De Boinville T:Nicky Henderson | 28/1 |
| 2020 | Dame De Compagnie | J:Barry Geraghty T:Nicky Henderson | 5/1F |
| 2021 | Heaven Help Us | J:Richard Condon T:Paul Hennessy | 33/1 |
| 2022 | Commander Of Fleet | J:Shane Fitzgerald (5) T:Gordon Elliott | 50/1 |
| 2023 | Langer Dan | J:Harry Skelton T:Dan Skelton | 9/1 |
| 2024 | Langer Dan | J:Harry Skelton T:Dan Skelton | 13/2 |
| 2025 | Jimmy Du Seuil | J:Danny Mullins T:Willie Mullins | 16/1 |
| 2026 | Jingko Blue | J:James Bowen T:Nicky Henderson | 9/2/F |
Cheltenham Festival Day 2 Racing Schedule
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