Coral Cup Tips 2023
- 15/03/2023
- -:--
Coral Cup Hurdle Tips for the 2023 Cheltenham Festival are in focus in this racing preview. Our betting experts look at the key players in this Grade 3 contest.
Along with sizing up the chances of the strong contenders, our tipsters will also give some plucky dark horses their due attention.
The final list of the Coral Hurdle odds is not yet known, but as we continue the approach to the start of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, keep an eye out for all the best tips for the race uploaded here.
Last year’s winner of the Coral Cup was Commander Of Fleet, who defied some considerable SP odds to get the win for trainer Gordon Elliott.
Coral Cup Tips – Overlooked Outsiders
Digging through the entire field of declarations for the Coral Cup Hurdle will once again be a fascinating prospect.
Especially after the past two results, our tipsters will be looking to see if there could, once again, be a big long-priced winner popping up.
The Coral Cup has produced a string of large-priced winners in the last decade.
2021 winner Heaven Help Us got his nose in front from a massive 33/1 SP, making him the second to score the Coral Cup at that price in the last nine editions. Medinas was the other in that span to do so, back in 2013.
Last year saw an even bigger priced winner, as Commander Of Fleet landed the spoils at a whopping 50/1!
Four of the last five winners of the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival have been at least 20/1 odds. So this is undoubtedly a race in which underdogs can’t be written off, even if it’s for each-way Coral Cup betting purposes.
Our Coral Cup tips for the 2023 renewal will all be listed here closer to the start of the Festival.
2023 Coral Cup Runners + Odds – Wednesday, 15th March 2:50
| 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 |
Even though we have to wait until a couple of days before running the 2023 Coral Cup to know the confirmed entries, the ante-post market still offers plenty.
There are currently a few names on the list for Coral Cup odds that are worth looking at. At least the early entries give punters and tipsters a tantalising glimpse of what could be to come.
Willie Mullins’ Gaelic Warrior is one of the ante-post favourites in the 2023 Coral Cup betting. He finished runner-up in the Boodles Juvenile Hurdle at last year’s Festival, and has won his first two races this season.
Saint Sam, a stablemate of Gaelic Warrior, made a winning return to hurdles after a campaign over fences last season and could enter the Coral Cup frame.
Among the other early players in the Coral Cup betting ante-post market, Grey Dawning, HMS Seahorse and No Ordinary Joe are noted. The latter put in a brilliant performance to win on his seasonal returning after over a year away from the track.
How to pick a Coral Cup winner (Studying the Coral Cup Odds)
Our betting experts put a lot of time into studying the Coral Cup’s form and statistics to provide the best possible recommendations.
It’s worth taking a look at what our tipsters have to say about Coral Cup tips for the Cheltenham Festival.
Even in the build-up to the Festival, there are pointers to keep in mind from what has happened in previous renewals.
For example, there has only been one successful favourite in the last ten editions of the Coral Cup, which was Dame De Compagnie in 2020 for Nicky Henderson.
The Coral Cup is one of the Cheltenham Festival races that boasts more considerable odds, and with that in mind, all but three of the last ten winners have been at least 14/1.
Last 10 Coral Cup Winners Odds
- 2022 Commander Of Fleet 50/1
- 2021 Heaven Help Us 33/1
- 2020 Dame De Compagnie 5/1F
- 2019 William Henry 28/1
- 2018 Bleu Berry 20/1
- 2017 Supasundae 16/1
- 2016 Diamond King 12/1
- 2015 Aux Ptits Soins 9/1
- 2014 Whisper 14/1
- 2013 Medinas 33/1
There has not been much to choose between GB and Irish contenders in the last 20 renewals of the Coral Cup. There have been 10 winners from the GB in that period, with nine from Ireland and one from France.
Other trends that focus on Coral Cup betting include just three of the last 20 winners of the race winning at odds of 33/1 or higher – Medinas (2013), Heaven Help Us (2021) and Commander Of Fleet (50/1).
All 20 of those winners had previously earned between two and five wins over the hurdles but hadn’t won more than twice over the timbers in the previous twelve months.
Our experts will look through many trends, so while the wait for the start of this year’s Festival goes on, why not gather some further insights with all our Cheltenham race previews?
All about the Coral Cup Hurdle: Past and Present
This is a Grade 3 contest at the Cheltenham Festival, and the race is open to runners at least four years of age. The Coral Cup is hosted on the turf of Cheltenham’s Old Course and is a distance of 2m 5f.
The declared runners will have ten hurdles to successfully get over during the handicap fixture. The first edition of the Coral Cup was held in 1993, and from then to now, it has always had the same sponsor, namely bookmaker Coral.
The Coral Cup was bumped up to Grade 3 for the 1999 edition and has remained there since. There is a two-way tie for the most successful jockey in the Coral Cup, with Davy Russell and Barry Geraghty having won it three times.
As for the top trainer in the Coral Cup history, Nicky Henderson has seen four winners get to the line first, including back-to-back successes in 2019 and 2020 with William Henry and Dame De Compagnie, respectively.
How do horses qualify for the Coral Cup?
The Coral Cup is a straightforward handicap hurdle contest for 4-year-olds plus. It is open to both male and female runners.
What is the Coral Cup Hurdle Prize Money in 2023?
The details of the Coral Cup prize money for 2023 are unknown, but last year’s winner, Commander Of Fleet, took the top prize of £56,270. The rest of the payouts from the purse, down to eight was: 2nd £21,200, 3rd £10,610, 4th £5,300, 5th £2,660, 6th £1,330, 7th £660, 8th £340.
Coral Cup Hurdle Past Winners
Some notable hurdlers have taken a Cheltenham Festival score in the Coral Cup before. Olympian was the inaugural winner back in the 1993 edition.
Looking at some modern-day winners of the contest, the likes of Whisper, Aux Ptits Soins, Supasundae and Heaven Help Us.
2019 winner William Henry stands out as he bucked a big age trend to win the title as a 9-year-old.
| Year | Horse | Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2022 | Commander Of Fleet | 50/1 | Shane Fitzgerald | Gordon Elliott |
| 2021 | Heaven Help Us | 33/1 | Richard Condon | Paul Hennessey |
| 2020 | Dame De Compagnie | 5/1F | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2019 | William Henry | 28/1 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2018 | Bleu Berry | 20/1 | Mark Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2017 | Supasundae | 16/1 | Robbie Power | Mrs John Harrington |
| 2016 | Diamond King | 12/1 | Davy Russell | Gordon Elliott |
| 2015 | Aux Ptits Soins | 9/1 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Paul Nicholls |
| 2014 | Whisper | 14/1 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2013 | Medinas | 33/1 | Wayne Hutchinson | Alan King |
| 2012 | Son Of Flicka | 16/1 | Jason Maguire | Donald McCain |
| 2011 | Carlito Brigante | 16/1 | Davy Russell | Gordon Elliott |
Other Races on Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival
Wednesday, Day 2 of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, is Ladies’ Day and the Coral Cup Hurdle is the third race on the day’s card. Here are all the races for Wednesday at the Festival:
13:30 The Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Race (Grade 1)
14:10 The Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase (Grade 1)
14:50 The Coral Cup Hurdle (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Grade 3)
15:30 The Betway Queen Mother Champion Steeplechase (Grade 1)
16:10 The Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeplechase
16:50 The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Grade 3)
17:30 The Weatherbys Champion Bumper (A Standard Open NH Flat Race) (Grade 1)