Coral Cup – Expert Tips & Predictions
The Coral Cup is often host to the greatest number of runners at any race at the Cheltenham Festival. A maximum field of 26 can go to post, as they did in the 2021 renewal in March. 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.
Coral Cup Bookmaker Odds – Race 3, Wednesday 15th March 2:10
| Horse/Form | Silks | Jockey/Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camprond 1U4B08 |  | J: Aidan Coleman T: Philip Hobbs | 6/1 |
| Run For Oscar 117-33 |  | J: Philip Byrnes (5) T: Charles Byrne | 7/1 |
| HMS Seahorse 13-331 |  | J: Sean O’Keeffe T: Paul Nolan | 7/1 |
| Langer Dan B1-378 |  | J: Harry Skelton T: Dan Skelton | 10/1 |
| Beacon Edge -P5P43 |  | J: Michael O’Sullivan (3) T: Noel Meade | 8/1 |
| Captain Conby 3F-232 |  | J: Keith Donoghue T: E Sheehy | 12/1 |
| Watch House Cross 1-1321 |  | J: Rachael Blackmore T: Henry De Bromhead | 12/1 |
| An Epic Song 481-00 |  | J: J J Slevin T: Martin Brassil | 12/1 |
| Good Risk At All 216-16 |  | J: Sam Twiston-Davies T: Sam Thomas | 14/1 |
| Fil Dor 221351 |  | J: Ben Harvey (5) T: Gordon Elliott | 16/1 |
| Benson -22211 |  | J: Ryan Mania T: Sandy Thomson | 16/1 |
| San Salvador F6-021 |  | J: Richard Deegan (3) T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien | 16/1 |
| Irish Hill (RESERVE) -22111 |  | J: Reserve T: Paul Nicholls | 16/1 |
| Scaramanga 311/4- |  | J: Jack Foley (3) T: Willie Mullins | 20/1 |
| Icare Allen 143-30 | | J: Mark Walsh T: Willie Mullins | 20/1 |
| Red Risk 18-012 |  | J: Harry Cobden T: Paul Nicholls | 20/1 |
| Sa Fureur -42111 | | J: Davy Russell T: Gordon Elliott | 20/1 |
| Riaan 225101 |  | J: Jordan Gainford T: Gordon Elliott | 25/1 |
| The Very Man 0-0039 |  | J: Conor Smithers (7) T: Mrs John Harrington | 25/1 |
| Grand Roi 3-2FP7 |  | J: Corey McGivern (7) T: Gordon Elliott | 33/1 |
| Call Me Lord 3-1252 |  | J: Daryl Jacob T: Nicky Henderson | 33/1 |
| Bold Endeavour P-P112 |  | J: Nico de Boinville T: Nicky Henderson | 33/1 |
| Tax For Max 314316 | | J: Danny Mullins T: Willie Mullins | 33/1 |
| Harbour Lake (RESERVE) 1-134P |  | J: Reserve T: Alan King | 33/1 |
| Sporting John 1-4P05 | | J: Michael Nolan T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White | 40/1 |
| Nells Son 4-246F |  | J: Danny McMenamin T: Nicky Richards | 40/1 |
| Off Your Rocco 114-80 |  | J: Sam Ewing T: Gordon Elliott | 40/1 |
| Elvis Mail 4-1633 |  | J: Bruce Lynn (3) T: N W Alexander | 66/1 |
All About The Coral Cup Trophy in 2023
This year’s Coral Cup will only take shape nearer the spring. With it being a handicap, entries are unknown at this stage and plenty could change the complexion of the race prior to kick off in March.
After their fairytale success last season, we can certainly hope to see Heaven Help Us attempt to defend her title for Paul Hennessey although her trainer may have sights set on bigger things.
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 nine winners have borne greater than 11st. Last year’s winner Heaven Help Us, under 10s 2lb, carried the lowest weight to victory for 14 years.
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.
There has also been a recent swing in terms of the age of winners. Between 2009 and 2015, only one winner was aged older than six, but all winners from 2016 onwards have been seven or older. In the 2019 renewal, won by William Henry, the first four home were aged eight and above and all carried at least 11st 5lb.
As with a number of races over hurdles, the mares have begun to take a serious hold of the Coral Cup. The first two home were mares in 2020, as of course was last year’s winner.
This is also a race that the Irish got a grip on long before their recent domination of the Festival. 12 of the 28 winners have been trained in Ireland, while half of the last 16 winners have been. Four of those came prior to 2011, while only the two giants of Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson have won this for the Brits since 2014.
Prize Money in 2023
£75,000 was on offer in last year’s Coral Cup, with connections of Heaven Help Us reaping the rewards for their optimism by sharing £42,000.
Coral Cup History
The only race to retain the same sponsorship since its inauguration, Coral have sponsored their titular “Cup” for every running at the Festival.
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 trip of 2m5f has, however, resulted in 28 different equine winners. As yet, no horse has ever won this race more than once.
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 |