The first of two handicap races on day two of the Cheltenham Festival is the Coral Cup. This two-and-a-half-mile Grade Three was first run at this meeting in 1993, and it's a race that punters love to sink their teeth into.
Our guide to the Coral Cup handicap will be published when the entries and weights have been announced.
Coral Cup Result
Position
Name
SP
1st
Jimmy Du Seuil
16/1
2nd
Impose Toi
13/2f
3rd
Ballyadam
16/1
4th
Beat The Bat
11/2
5th
Colonel Mustard
25/1
Coral Cup Day Card
Cheltenham Day 2 Card
Time
Wednesday Races
Status
Distance
13:20
Turners Novices' Hurdle
Grade One
2m 5f
14:00
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
Grade One
3m
14:40
Coral Cup
Grade Three Handicap
2m 5f
15:20
Cross Country Chase
Class Two Handicap
3m 6f
16:00
Champion Chase
Grade One
2m
16:40
Grand Annual Chase
Grade Three Handicap
2m
17:20
Champion Bumper
Grade One
2m
Coral Cup History
The opening handicap on day two of the Cheltenham Festival is the Coral Cup. This two-and-a-half mile handicap hurdle was created in 1993, and has been sponsored by bookmakers Coral throughout it's entire history.
The Coral Cup is known for being a wide-open race. This handicap has been won by top and bottom weights alike. Favourites have come out on top on numerous occasions, as have horses carrying prices in excess of 20/1 to post.
Olympian was the first winner of the Coral Cup in 1993, ridden by Peter Scudamore for legendary trainer, Martin Pipe. Pipe went on to win the race twice more in 1997 and 2002.
The leading trainer in this history of the Coral Cup is Nicky Henderson. Henderson secured the first of his four wins in 2010, before going on win it three times in the last seven years.
Top British trainers like Philip Hobbs, Paul Nicholls and Alan King have all won the Coral Cup. As have the likes of Donald McCain, Dr Richard Newland and Venetia Williams.
Irish trainers have enjoyed plenty of success in the race in recent seasons, with the names of Gold Cup winning trainers like Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott and Jessica Harrington standing out on the honours boards.
Davy Russell is the joint-most successful jockey in the Coral Cup, having ridden the winner in 2008, 2011 and '16.
In 2020, Barry Geraghty matched Russell's tally of three winners when he guided well-backed favourite Dame De Comganie to victory for Nicky Henderson and owner, JP McManus. Paul Hennessy then celebrated his first Cheltenham win as Heaven Help Us made all to win the Coral Cup.
