Coral Cup Hurdle > Wednesday March 11th @ 2:40pm

[Aidymac]

:ok

[beaker1]

Re: Coral Cup Hurdle > Wednesday March 11th @ 2:40pm 2015 Coral Cup Trends 8 of the last 10 winners were second season hurdlers 11 of the last 21 winners won last time out 15 of the last 19 win and placed horses had run no more than 3 times that season 12 of the last 14 winners had won no more than one handicap 16 of the last 21 winners had won earlier in the season 11 of the last 14 winners carried no more than 11st 2lb The Betfair Hurdle, Ladbroke Hurdle & Boylesports.com Hurdle have been the best guides Just 1 of 23 horses rated 150+ have won (last year) Horses ages 10+ are 2-27 to place since 1999

[Aidymac]

Re: Coral Cup Hurdle > Wednesday March 11th @ 2:40pm Cheltenham 2:40 - Coral Cup(HANDICAP HURDLE) (Grade 3) (1) 2m5f Tony Martin is well known for getting a horse ready for a big handicap and I think BLACKMAIL could be a bit of value here personally at 18/1 with Paddy Power who are offering 5 Places. The 7 year old is having his handicap debut tomorrow off a mark of 147 and it is also interesting that connections put the hood on the horse for the first time. This horse was well down the field in the Champion Bumper in the past and was then 4th behind The Liquidator in a Grade 1 at Punchestown soon after. He absolutely hosed up at the Galway festival in July of 2013 and went on to win by 17 lengths at Bellewstown in a three runner contest. He then had more than a year off the track and needed the run at Punchestown, so he should now be spot on for this and he could be off a very lenient mark if he shows his best. >>>>> Blackmail - 1 Point each-way @ 18/1 Paddy Power (5 Places) https://www.punterslounge.com/cheltenham-festival/

[BillyHills]

Re: Coral Cup Hurdle > Wednesday March 11th @ 2:40pm 2.40 Cheltenham: Coral Cup (2m5f) The first big handicap hurdle of the week and a puzzle of a contest that has seen a shift in power recently. The Coral Cup was always a race where you wanted a nice low racing weight but that changed in 2013 when Medinas won carrying top weight of 11st 10lbs. Last year Whisper repeated the fete from the top of the handicap off 4lbs lower and with any age of horse from 5-10 being successful it really is a contest where the trends don’t help much. Six of the best; Aux Ptits Soins – Complete unknown quantity having never raced in Britain for current trainer Paul Nicholls. Had three starts in France and won two of them which means he has to begin in handicaps over here. Been well backed and worked well with Lac Fontana recently and has to be respected. Activial – Harry Fry trains this youngster and gets in with a nice racing weight. He’s been third in both The Ladbroke and the Betfair Hurdle so far this season and the only problem is that he has been given another rise by the handicapper without actually winning. Only a 5yo and still has bags of scope so don’t be surprised if he’s involved in the finish. Baradari – Rated 140 for Venetia Williams who does well with her handicappers at the Festival. This one has been here before and was creditable 5^th in the Fred Winter last season. Won last time out at Ascot off a mark of 133 and comes here with a 7lb rise to contend with. Steps up in trip so could find further improvement. Goodwood Mirage – Jonjo O’Neill trains this one, he won on his seasonal debut at Wetherby and it looked like it was going to be a decent season ahead but things haven’t panned out since. He was pulled up at Ascot and then last time was an early faller in the Betfair Hurdle. He was brought down in the Fred Winter last year so could do with a change of luck. Blackmail – Lightly raced 7yo trained by the very shrewd Tony Martin. Only had three hurdle starts and has won two of them. 4^th last time out at Punchestown in December to get his mark, was very keen that day in a small field and this test could suit him well with the fast pace. One to watch for sure and could attract plenty of money. Dell Arca – David Pipe saddles Del Arca who won the Greatwood Hurdle at the beginning of last season and great things were expected but things haven’t really worked out. Been chasing and was not disgraced behind Coneygree or Champagne West but has since switched back to hurdles. Races off 144 which is high enough but likes the track and the big fields. Verdict: As usual it’s a wide-open race and it’s 8/1 the field. Handicap experts Jonjo O’Neill and Venetia Williams need watching with Goodwood Mirage and Baradari but I will plump for Activial who is a model of consistency and not finished improving yet. 1pt EW Activial 10/1 Paddy Power

[Smarty72]

Re: Coral Cup Hurdle > Wednesday March 11th @ 2:40pm One UK and one Irish... Lac Fontana - Win @ 18\1 Coral County Hurdle winner last year at the festival with Arctic Fire just behind in 2nd. Disappointing LTO here at Cheltenham but was only 9 lengths behind todays Champion Hurdler Faugheen at Ascot in November. Good claimer on board who claims a valuable 5lb. Blackmail - Win @ 18\1 PP Lightly raced but some good form in 2013 and looks to have been saved for this race.

[arsenalfh]

Re: Coral Cup Hurdle > Wednesday March 11th @ 2:40pm A second tilt at the Coral Cup seems to have been the plan for Dell Arca for a while now since returning to hurdles. He finished 5th in this race as favourite last year and has been given some tame rides by Tom Scudamore including two runs over 2m 1f which is shorter than ideal. There's no doubt in my mind that this horse is capable of better and he should relish the return to racing in a big field at Cheltenham. Pipe also puts on blinkers for the first time. Lac Fontana is a classy Grade 1 winner who also won the County Hurdle at last years festival. He does tend to throw in the odd shocker but these have really been solely in small fields and he does run much better in the spring. He runs off a big weight but the classier animals tend to run well here and Sean Bowen claims a valuable 5lbs. Dell Arca - 1pt each-way @ 25/1 SkyBet Lac Fontana - 1pt each-way @ 20/1 BetVictor

[richard-westwood]

Re: Coral Cup Hurdle > Wednesday March 11th @ 2:40pm typical hcap minefield but couple horses stand out here for me ......venetia Williams usually does well in these types of races and baradari has the level of form required to win this and is a nice price around 16/1 ...also tagliatelle has shown glimmers of good form this season and if putting it together on the day could spring a surprise .....again very good value around 16/1 they are both plays baradari 5pts win 16/1 bet365 tagliatelle 5pts win 16/1 bet365

[Bathtime For Rupert]

Re: Coral Cup Hurdle > Wednesday March 11th @ 2:40pm 2.40 Cheltenham - 1pt e/w Hammersly Lake @ 16/1 (Hills) Ran appallingly when last seen but you have to suggest something was amiss there because he'd have a good chance on the rest of his form. Stayed on well behind Silsol who has been thriving and won well off a higher mark since. Looks the type to enjoy this sort of test and should stay this far. Has had his wind looked at, is for top connections and hopefully can bounce back after a break.

[Blazing Bailey]

Re: Coral Cup Hurdle > Wednesday March 11th @ 2:40pm

This is the main handicap race of the day so hopefully I can get one in as I dont fancy much as strongly later on in the card. I am going to be siding with three in Lac Fontana, Baradari and Hammersley Lake. Lac Fontana has had an odd preparation this season albeit I think Nichols was hoping he had a slightly classier horse than he does. He won the County last season before going on to win the Novice G1 at Aintree of which both races have worked out well. He ran as well as expected at Punchestown and wasnt too far behind Faugheen at Ascot before disappointing since. I have no doubts that this mark is reasonable for him and given that we know he likes the course, the ground and the trip, then he is worth a punt at the

odds

. Baradari ran a good race in the

>Fred

Winter last year (worked out well) before running a good re-appearance at Ascot ahead of going back and winning there a couple of starts later. The form of both of those runs has worked out nicely and again this one looks to be on a good mark for this race, especially as he has been aimed at it for a while. This is one of only a few Williams horses that is versatile when it comes to the ground and he is very unexposed at the distance. Hammersley Lake appears to now be a pricewise horse which makes sense as it was a bitch trying to get on last night! IMO you have to give this one a couple of excuses as he flopped at Kempton on the soft ground where he also might not have relished the track, whereas at Newbury he again struggled on the ground but still stayed on to finish 2nd behind a progressive

winner

. The form of his run around here early in the season was very good and that was on much better ground and my hunch is that the ground will show him in a more positive light around a track that he has proven himself on.

Lac Fontana 20/1

>Betfred

- 0.5 points EW - 5 places Baradari 18/1

Skybet

- 1 point Hammersley Lake 22/1

>Bet365

- 0.5 points

[scotty657]

Re: Coral Cup Hurdle > Wednesday March 11th @ 2:40pm Was puling my hair out trying to price this up and found a few of interest at the prices. My two bets however will be, first of all, BARADARI for Venetia Williams and Aidan Coleman of which won a good grade two at Ascot when last seen. The gelding ran well in the Fred Winter here last year and is probably still on a decent mark, 16/1 is good enough for me. Secondly HISAABAAT looks a fair EW bet at 25/1 given the form of old including some grade one novice wins. Can go well if tuned up after below par appearance at Leopardstown and has the first time visor.

[beaker1]

Re: Coral Cup Hurdle > Wednesday March 11th @ 2:40pm Coral Cup The field size has been reduced from 28 to 26 so that makes it much easier to find the winner! The last two winners were the classiest two winners in the race’s history breaking previous official ratings stats so I couldn’t put you off Volnay De Thaix off top weight doing likewise. To be frank, it is not a handicap that trends-based punters have been able to seriously get their teeth into as it has never been overburdened with strong patterns but anyone backing second-season hurdlers that won last time out would have collected on five occasions in the last 12 years. Qualifiers on that combination statistic this time are Zabana, Baradari, Ttebbob and the likely favourite, Aux Ptits Soins, who has not run since September 11th since he came from France as Nicholls wanted to protect his handicap mark of 139 for this race. He has been working well with Grade 1 horses at home. Baradari was fifth in last season’s Fred Winter and represents Venetia Williams who won this race ten years ago with Idole First. He improved for the step up to this kind of trip when successful at Sandown last time out. Eleven of the 21 Coral Cup winners arrived here off the back of a last-time-out success which is some going from approximately 20% representation. Zabana and Ttebbob are both Irish-trained like seven of the 21 winners which is an excellent strike rate and other Irish hopes are Blackmail in a first-time hood and Marinero for Tony Martin, Un Atout and Daneking for Willie Mullins, Plinth for Aidan O’Brien who has been pace making for Jezki, Taglietelle for Gordon Elliott who win this race with Carlito Brigante, and the former Triumph Hurdle runner, Hisaabaat, for Dermot Weld. Horses aged 10+ are 2-26 to place from 1999 so the four-timer chasing Shammick Boy is not for me. Only five of the 21 winners had not won at some point earlier in the campaign and the relevance of that statistic is that, on average, between half and two-thirds of the field will enter the Coral Cup without a victory to their name earlier in the season. Non winners this season are Lac Fontana, Blackmail, Activial, Clondaw Kaempfer, Un Atout, Rolling Star, Lyvius, Dell ‘Arca, Hammersley Lake, Hisaabaat, Mijhaar, Daneking and Barizan. The last six winners had raced no more than four times earlier in the season so that is nor ideal for Bear’s Affair, Dell Arca, Plinth, Shammick Boy, Tagliettele, Mijhaar, Barinero and Barizan. Short List Baradari Aux Ptits Soins Ttebbob Zabana Un Atout Conclusion As five of the last 12 winners won last time out and were second-season hurdlers, I see no reason not to include all four of Baradari, Aux Ptits Soins, Ttebbob and Zabana as they don’t fail any negative stats. AUX PTIT SOINS is the one with the sexy profile and for that reason he will be well fancied but he could also be a class above these judging by who he is working with at Paul Nicholls’ yard. Horses with a freshness angle have done well in this race and he has not run since September to protect his handicap mark. BARADARI is tough and just the sort to revel in a race like this and ran well at last season’s Festival so he makes plenty of each-way appeal. ZABANA won easily over 2m last time but stays 3m so this 2m5f trip can suit him ideally and he appeals most of the Irish. TTEBBOB is not to be underestimated though having bounced back to win at Clonmel after not staying 3m on his previous start. UN ATOUT would be my fly in the ointment horse. He is well handicapped strictly on his fourth in ther Supreme two years ago behind Champagne Fever, My Tent Or Yours and Jezki no less but missed last season through injury and is now back to hurdling after failing to won on his first two chase starts.