The Coral Cup

The Coral Cup is one of the newer races to grace the Cheltenham Festival and in its relative short history has proved to be happy hunting grounds for the large Irish contingent.

When looking at past winners for this event, horses with a low handicap mark seem to perform exceptionally well. Another good form guide for Cheltenham Coral Cup takes place the Saturday before, many horses running well in this race continue the form into the Festival.

Cheltenham Festival Odds - Day Two Wednesday
2.00pm	Ballymore Properties Novices Hurdle Odds	Free Bets
2.35pm	Royal Sun Alliance Chase Betting Odds	Free Bets
3.15pm	Queen Mother Chase Betting Odds	Free Bets
4.00pm	Coral Cup Betting Odds	Free Bets
4.40pm	National Hunt Novice Chase	Free Bets
5.20pm	Champion Bumper Betting Odds	Free Bets

Following the Coral Cup comes the Kim Muir Challenge Cup.

Coral Cup 2008 Results

Baltiman took them along in a very competitve heat and we lost Whispered Promises and hampered Sporazene. 3 from home Baltiman was still going well in front from Junior with Song of Songs right there. Over the last Naiad Du Misselot and Kicks For Free came there to challange and up the hill to the line and Naiad Du Misselot just got there on the line by a short head.

Coral Cup Result 2008
1. Naiad Du Misselot (D Russell) 7/1
2. Kicks For Free (R Walsh) 11/1
3. Junior (R Thornton) 12/1
4. Mendo (T Siddall) 14/1
24ran NRS, 4,6, 12, 28

Coral Cup 2006 Results

For weeks we had heard the Irish moan about the handicaps given to their horses well all moaning stopped mid second day afternoon as Sky's the Limit will probably be the easiest winner at Cheltenham this decade. Given a very confident ride by Barry Geraghty he was the winner a long way out and turned a 30 runner handicap into a one horse race.

1. Sky's The Limit (BJ Geraghty) 11-1
2. Strangely Brown (B C Byrnes) 25-1
3. Dom d'Orgeval (R Johnson) 20-1
4. Phar Bleu (R Walsh) 10-1
30 ran. Dist: 4, 3

Coral Cup 2005 Results

For those watching the Cheltenham Festival on the box will have seen the trainer of Idole First, Venetia Williams tell us that she though the winner had a great chance as normally he gets really worked up prior to his races and he was not getting excited and using up all his energy before the event. In the end Idole First stayed on strongly up the hill on ground which was more testing than day one to win very well.

1. Idole First (A O'Keeffe) 33/1
2. Dancing Bay (M A FitzGerald) 14/1
3. Tumbling Dice (B Geraghty) 16/1
4. Covent Garden (A Dobbin) 14/1

Coral Cup 2004 Results

Monkerhostin, sent to Philip Hobbs this season, has been a revelation and put up a tremendous performance to win in the style of a seriously high-class performer. A horse who had regularly frustrated in the best handicaps, he has improved markedly in the past month, finishing third in the Tote Gold Trophy and running away with the Rendlesham Hurdle before posting this personal-best effort. Held up off the pace, he came down the hill in the style of stablemate Rooster Booster, arriving on the scene travelling so strongly that he had still not beenreleased by Richard Johnson taking the final bend. Finding plenty when popped the question, he won in great style, and is creeping towards the best hurdlers. Court Shareef coming here fresh, he ran a blinder out of the handicap. Rhinestone Cowboy, carrying 11st 12lb ran a massive race. As usual travelling like a train, he came down the hill as powerfully as the winner.

Coral Cup 2003 Results

Mick Fitzgerald ran an exceptional race aboard the 2003 winner Xenophon, keeping the favourite in comfortably in touch with the pack before making his move approaching the last fence. In what was only his sixth race over hurdles, Xenophon looked like a seasoned campaigner and is sure to improve before next seasons Festival. Samon, trained by Marin Pipe came in a well fought second and Spectrometer stayed on well to clinch third place.