Coral Cup Predictions, Betting Tips, Odds & Trends (Cheltenham 2025 - DAY 2)
- Written by Simon Bettarini
The Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle is a grade 3 handicap hurdle raced on the Old Course at Cheltenham, a race open to 5 year old and older hurdlers and run over 2 miles and 5 furlongs. Favourites do not have a good record in this race as no favorites have won in the last 16 years. Dan Skelton's Langer Dan produced an impressive display to claim back to back victory in last year's Coral Cup at odds of 13/2. Check out here our Cheltenham 2025 Coral Cup race preview, with odds, tips, predictions, trends, free bets and betting promotions.
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CORAL CUP BETTING PREVIEW
Sandwiched between the more prestigious Coral Cup and the feature race of the second day of the Cheltenham Festival, the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Coral Cup is one of the toughest races to solve at the Cheltenham Festival. It's a Grade 3 handicap hurdle covering two miles and five furlongs, for horses aged four years and upwards. Many horses come into the race looking well handicapped and those horses all seem to have obvious chances of winning.
Online bookmakers are paying out a quarter of the odds for a top four finish for each way bets, so with all the runners having double digit prices, we’d recommend going each way with your Coral Cup bets.
And now we take a closer look at this year's Coral Cup and try to determine which horse is likely to prevail.
Who will win the Coral Cup 2025?
The heavily backed BUNTING for the deadly duo of Willie Mullins and Paul Townend is the strongest market mover of Day 2. With just seven career runs, five of which were over hurdles, he has plenty of scope for improvement. He made his comeback in mid-January at Clonmel and would likely have won but for stumbling and almost unseating his rider three from home.
BE AWARE was narrowly beaten in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham earlier in the season. He finished second on his only start in a handicap at Ascot beyond two miles, but his trainer Dan Skelton is sure his charge will improve for the extra distance. He has been kept fresh for Cheltenham and there is the expectation that the best is still to come.
BALLYADAM has a solid record at the Cheltenham Festival (placed on all four previous starts at this meeting) including when runner-up in last year's edition of this race. He beat the 160+ rated Saint Sam last time out and should be in the mix here.
BEAT THE BAT is a former bumper winner who quickly made up into a very useful hurdler last season, chasing home Dysart Enos in novice here at Cheltenham: He has made a solid start in handicaps this term. He finished fifth in the William Hill Hurdle last time, staying on again late in the day having been tapped for toe at a crucial stage.
IMPOSE TOI impressed winning at Newbury when last seen and could easily be well handicapped off a mark of 141 while WODHOOH made it 6/6 over hurdles winning a Mares' Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on her seasonal reappearance, with a 1¾ victory over Joyeuse.
JIPCOT bolted up on his first start over two-and-a-half miles at Newbury in December, failed to win from the rear at Windsor (beaten by just two lengths) and travelled nicely into the qualifier at Haydock last month, finishing 4th over 10 lengths behind One Big Bang.
Joseph O'Brien's COMFORT ZONE, one of the most promising juveniles in 2022, ran a blinder when finishing two lengths behind The Wallpark during the Galway Festival, before winning a valuable flat handicap at Naas in October. He was last seen placing third behind fellow Coral Cup entrants, AL GASPARO and PARK OF KINGS at Leopardstown over Christmas. The former is another interesting each-way shot.
Irish raider VISCHIO made a successful debut for her new connections in in the Paddy And Maureen Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival while Gordon Elliott could run SA FUREUR, who finished fourth as the favourite in the last year's Grand Annual.
Having won a bumper, two hurdles and a chase for Paul Nolan, JOYEUSE MACHIN linked up with Dan Skelton earlier this season. He disappointed twice over two miles here at Cheltenham, but caught the eye with a late flourish to place third behind Mr Bramley at Wetherby in February. He was last seen when second behind ALTOBELLI at Ascot.
At a monster price don’t rule out LOSSIEMOUTH as well as JIMMY DU SEUIL, while other possible longshots are BECKETT ROCK, ANNA BUNINA, CLASSICK KING and EAGLE FANG.
Latest Odds
At the moment, the most backed horses are the following:
All the bookmakers we recommend are offering No Runner No Bet on every Cheltenham Festival race.
CORAL CUP TRENDS
- 20 of the last 21 favourites have been beaten
- Just 1 of the 31 winners were the top weight
- 11 of the last 15 winners did not win last time out
- 9 of the last 13 winners were priced 12/1 or bigger
- 5 of the last 8 winners were aged 7
- 12 of the last 13 winners having had at least 6 runs over hurdles
- All the last 13 winners had at least 2 previous wins over hurdles
- 12 of the last 15 winners had run at the Festival before (10 had top 4 finish)
CORAL CUP PREDICTIONS
Check out below our expert picks on the Coral Cup 2025. Feel free to copy our Cheltenham Festival free betting tips and get the highest prices available on the market by clicking the 'Bet' button!
Ruby Walsh's Coral Cup Tips
Cheltenham Festival’s winning-most jockey turned TV pundit Ruby Walsh has shared his Coral Cup tips."The Coral Cup is not a race I’d be mad keen on because it’s one of those handicaps you need a lot of luck – and I hate races you need luck! Be Aware sticks out for the Skeltons and they are really positive about him. I like Bunting, but I wouldn’t rule out Jimmy Du Seuil. It’s more a race for the Eliminator than trying to find the winner. I wouldn’t put you off BUNTING, but it’s a race I could never figure out."
2025 CORAL CUP FREE BETS
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2025 CHELTENHAM DAY 2 TIPS AND PREDICTIONS
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2025 CORAL CUP FAQs
What time is the Coral Cup?
The Coral Cup is the third race run on Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival. That falls on Wednesday March 12, 2025 and the official starting time is 2:40pm.
How many obstacles are jumped in the Coral Cup?
There are 10 obstacles to jump for the Coral Cup runners
What is the distance of the Coral Cup?
The Coral Cup is run on a distance of 2 miles 5 furlongs and 26 yards
What is the prize money for the Coral Cup?
The total prize money on offer for the Coral Cup at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival will be £100,000.
Who won the Coral Cup last year?
Last year's renewal was won by Langer Dan at SP of 13/2, trained by Dan Skelton and ridden by Harry Skelton.
What weights are carried for the Coral Cup?
The Coral Cup is a handicap race.
Who is the leading jockey in the Coral Cup?
Harry Skelton has won the last two editions of the race but Davy Russell (three) has ridden more Coral Cup winners than any other jockey. Nico de Boinville’s association with Nicky Henderson has led to him partnering two winners in the last 11 years.
Who is the leading trainer in the Coral Cup?
Dan Skelton has won the last two editions of the race but Nicky Henderson has the most winners in the Coral Cup with four winners overall, including two of the last six. Gordon Elliott has won this race three times and saddled five placed-runners (two in 2020).
