2024 Coral Cup Tips - Trends and potential tips for this open handicap hurdle

Jon Vine

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Last updated: 06 Mar 2024

Jon Vine 06 Mar 2024

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Free guide to the 2024 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle
This handicap takes place on day two of the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday 13th March
Doddiethegreat, Built By Ballymore and Da Capo Glory feature in our verdict

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The Coral Cup at Cheltenham. (Getty)

The first of two handicaps on Ladies' Day is the Coral Cup. A capacity field of 26 runners will enter this two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle and it's a race that always provides plenty of drama.

Here's our free guide to the 2024 Coral Cup, which includes some key ten-year trends and our best betting tips in the verdict.

2024 Coral Cup Key Ten-Year Trends

9 of the last 10 winners had won either 0 or 1 handicap over hurdles
9 of the last 10 winners were no older than eight-years-old
9 of the last 10 winners returned an SP of 9/1 or bigger
8 of the last 10 winners had run in at least two Graded races over hurdles

2024 Coral Cup Tips

There are two talking horses going into this year's Coral Cup. Langer Dan ran out an impressive winner of this race 12 months ago and Dan Skelton has managed to get the defending champion back down to the same mark of 141.

Then there's Sa Majeste, who will run off the same rating he'd carry in Ireland, after the British handicapper decided not to give Willie Mullins' six-year-old any extra weight for beating Noble Yeats last time out.

With stablemate Quai De Bourbon being heavily backed for the Martin Pipe, and JP McManus pointing No Ordinary Joe and Waterford Whispers at the boy's race, Sa Majeste could still run in the Coral Cup. Of the market leaders, I'd rather back Langer Dan, but I'm happy to take both on at their current prices.

At the ante-post stage, I backed Doddiethegreat, without realising that Nicky Henderson's eight-year-old is highly unlikely to get into the Coral Cup off his current rating of 132. Off that mark, Doddiethegreat would have only made the cut for one of the last ten Coral Cup, and Henderson may have to settle for running his eight-year-old in the Martin Pipe.

Lucky Place and First Street could represent Nicky Henderson, who boasts an excellent record in the Coral Cup. I'm interested in both Cuthbert Dibble and Guard Your Dreams for Nigel Twiston-Davies too, and it will be interesting to see how he splits up his handicap hurdlers.

Martin Brassil has seen Fastorslow and An Epic Song touched off on day two of the Cheltenham Festival the past two years, so his novice, Built By Ballymore has to be greatly respected. Henry De Bromhead's Hiddenvalley Lake will carry top weight after his win in the Boyne Hurdle. His stablemate, Hispanic Moon could be a player, if connections decide to run here over the Mares' Hurdle.

Da Capo Glory is an interesting contender for Padraig Butler, following his four-length defeat behind Hiddenvalley Lake in the Boyne Hurdle last time out. Two former winners of the Boodles, Brazil and Jeff Kidder have been entered up. Gordon Elliott's mare, Shecouldbeanything remains unexposed over this distance and could be interesting at a lengthy price.

Verdict

Coral Cup 2024

If my ante-post selection, Doddiethegreat doesn't get a run, then I could move my stake over onto Built By Ballymore.

Martin Brassil's novice comes into this handicap on the back of two impressive 12-length victories and ran up to an RPR of 144 when scoring at Punchestown last time out. Brassil has unfinished business with the Coral Cup and, if the ground is favourably soft, Built By Ballymore has to be a big player off what could turn out to be a lenient mark of 139.

I'll be waiting for the declaration stage before I finalise my selections. First Street and Cuthbert Dibble are on my shortlist, along with a pair of overlooked Irish challengers, Da Capo Glory and Shecouldbeanything.

If I had to back one of the four now, it would be Da Capo Glory, who has won two of his four starts over two-and-a-half miles, while also placing behind Grangeclare West and Hiddenvalley Lake on his other two outings over this distance. Padraig Butler's seven-year-old was only beaten four lengths in the Boyne Hurdle and could be well-treated off this mark of 145.

Built By Ballymore E/W

2024 Coral Cup Tip 1

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Da Capo Glory E/W

2024 Coral Cup Tip 2

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