Coral Cup

Coral Cup

Day two of Cheltenham has more than earned the name ‘Style Wednesday’ with races like the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle taking centre stage.

Run on the historic Old Course at Cheltenham, the Coral Cup is a Premier Handicap National Hunt hurdle race open to horses aged four years or older. The race is run over a 2m 5f stretch with 10 hurdles between the start and the finish.

The Coral Cup is one of the most popular races at Cheltenham and certainly one of the most competitive handicaps in the sport. Horse racing fans should expect another thrilling contest in 2024 with the likes of defending champion Langer Dan slated to run.

Check out our Coral Cup betting odds to see how each horse measures up against the competition.

History of the Coral Cup

The Coral Cup was first introduced in 1993, making it one of the youngest races to grace the festival when compared to the likes of the Queen Mother Champion Chase which takes place on the same day.

Olympian and his jockey, Peter Scudamore, lifted the first Coral Cup at Cheltenham, the duo edging out the 20/1 priced Sillars Stalker by just over two lengths. As well as earning them £36,546, the victory cemented the duo’s place in racing history forever.

There have been many other outstanding winners over the years – such as Naiad du Misselot, What’s Up Boys and Dame De Compagnie – but none have been able to win this illustrious prize more than once, a rarity when it comes to Cheltenham records.

Jockeys are a different story. Both Davy Russell (2008, 2011 and 2016) and Barry Geraghty (2006, 2010 and 2020) currently share the record for most wins in the Coral Cup with three in total.

Nicky Henderson is the leading trainer in Coral Cup history having overseen four winners. They are:

• Spirit River (2010)
• Whisper (2014)
• William Henry (2019)
• Dame De Compagnie (2020)

There have been a few changes to the race over the years, most notably in 1999 when it was promoted to Grade 3 status. Back in 2008 the race was also held on the new course due to high winds.

When is the Coral Cup at Cheltenham?

The Coral Cup is scheduled to take place on the 13th of March at 14:50. This will be the third race taking place on Style Wednesday, also known as Ladies’ Day at Cheltenham.

Last year's winner, Langer Dan, is among the early entrants will look to do what no other horse has done prior and win more than one Coral Cup. He faces tough competition with the likes of Lucky Place, Doddiethegreat and Quai De Bourbon all in the running.

Some of the early entrants for the 2024 Coral Cup currently include:

• Sa Majeste
• Doddiethegreat
• Langer Dan
• Built By Ballymore
• Lucky Place
• Brazil
• Might I
• Ballyadam
• First Street
• Jigoro
• Quai De Bourbon
• Springwell Bay
• Bad
• Encanto Bruno
• Ocastle Des Mottes

Selected entrants listed are correct at time of publication but subject to change. Please check the race market for latest runners & riders

Coral Cup Betting Tips

See our Coral Cup betting odds for the latest prices and check out our Cheltenham betting tips for who we think will come out on top on the day. Get ready for the greatest show on turf with BetMGM!