Jamie Radford previews the runners for the Coral Cup and picks out two tips.
Coral Cup - Winner
The Coral Cup is the Grade 3 Handicap Hurdle run on Day two of the Cheltenham Festival over two-mile five-furlongs and is comprised of horses aged four or older. With only one favourite collecting in the last 10 years, Dame De Compaigne (5/1), and over half of them being 20/1+, it is a race where a case can be made for many horses including those falling short in Graded company and rapid improvers stepping up in class. The ante-post market for this year’s renewal has an open feel since the removal of ante-post favourite Gaelic Warrior and is now headed by Irish raider HMS Seahorse.
Coral Cup 2023 Runners and Preview
Does HMS Seahorse deserve to be top of the shop?
HMS Seahorse (10/1) ran to a smart level of form in his juvenile season last year and although falling just short of graded company, ran well when 4th behind Brazil (now 142) and Gaelic Warrior (now 153) in last year’s Boodles. This run too can arguably be upgraded as Paul Nolan’s charge got lit up before the off, so much so that he even jumped the first hurdle after the false start.
Stepped up to Grade 1 company at Punchestown, he again fell short, however, last year’s juvenile crop look strong with 1st placed Vauban equipping himself well in the open 2-mile races this year behind State Man, Fil Dor (2nd) winning twice, and 4th placed Il Etait Temps launching himself into the Supreme picture.
However, despite a case to be made regarding his juvenile form, the son of Galileo seems to have improved significantly since then. Indeed, he improved 19lb on the flat in the summer reaching a rating of 101. After a four-month break, in which he was gelded, he returned with a smart win at Navan (similar course to Cheltenham) beating previous winners Rebel Ivy and Lucky Max as well as Punchestown winner Felix Desjy. Up 7lb to a rating of 139, he should have a perfect racing weight of around 11st for the race and it must be said that he looked far more put together at Navan, credit to both more racecourse experience and the gelding operation.
Nevertheless, his flat exploits and juvenile form made his opening mark of 132 look flattering and now raised accordingly and contesting a higher standard of race, one is hoping he is still improving. At the age of five that is more than likely, but he certainly fell short last year as a juvenile even in handicaps and now pitched into open company, he will have to post another career best to win.
There is also a case to be made that he holds a preference for a softer surface. His form on soft ground reads 2111, with those wins being his only ones. Indeed, he got overturned in a Novice Hurdle in the summer on good ground and finished 19th/30 in the Irish Cesarewitch on the quicker surface. Indeed, even at Punchestown he was a well-beaten 18 lengths on quick ground. With all this in mind, arguably his form falls short, something which is backed up by his time figures, and with a higher mark to contend with and most likely quick ground, he is more than opposable.
Second time lucky for Camprond?
10 of last 11 years JP McManus has had a horse in the frame of the Coral Cup, including Dame De Compaigne winning it in 2020, This statistic is an embodiment of the races he likes to target throughout the week. Last year Camprond (14/1) was one of those horses, finishing 4th with conditions arguably against him. Indeed, his record on good ground over hurdles is 2121421141.
One of the 4ths was in the Greatwood and the other over two miles (tight track) at Market Rasen when needing a greater test of stamina. Therefore, when the heavens opened and the ground was riding on the heavy side of soft, many feared the worst, and yet he ran an admirable race, as a novice aswell, to finish 4th.
Importantly, Camprond again showed us his likeability to big field handicaps, previously 2nd of 22 in the 2021 Aintree Festival and 4th of 19 in the 2021 Greatwood behind County Hurdle winner West Cork. The Greatwood, run over two miles at Cheltenham in November, is often a useful stepping stone with Dame De Compagnie finishing 5th in it before collecting the Coral Cup herself the following March.
Camprond finished 4th and that form worked out well; Tritonic came out and won at Ascot and went up to 145, Glory and Fortune won the Betfair and went up to 148, Maries Rock won at Kempton on Boxing Day and then collected mares Grade 1’s at both Cheltenham and Punchestown rising to 150. All these indicators conspired to give Camprond a monumental change in last year's Coral Cup off a mark of 140 with the return to a middle distance prompting further improvement.
Despite plans being scuppered by the weather, Camprond made amends on a quicker surface at Punchestown, off a mark of 137, as he won comfortably by three lengths, beating Fastorslow who was only 2nd by a short head in the Coral Cup. After a failed chasing stint, Camprond has returned to hurdles this season with form of B08. However, he has raced on soft ground twice and his 3rd run was over 1m 7f at Musselburgh (sharp, flat track) with an emphasis on speed.
Moreover, he has been sent off a double figure price all three of his runs and has now dropped down to a mark of 138, 2lb below his Coral Cup 4th and only 1lb above his comfortable Punchestown win. With forecasted good spring ground, Camprond should have a massive chance of bettering his previous 4th in the race.
Is the Boyne Hurdle yet again the key trial?
Last year’s Boyne Hurdle’s 2nd and 3rd, Ashdale Bob and Commander of Fleet, threw up the 1st and 3rd in the Coral Cup proving itself the key line of form. Indeed, this is not the first time it has proven itself as a key trial for the race.
In 2020 Bachasson was 3rd in it and finished 6/25 at Cheltenham, 2017 saw the Boyne Hurdle 4th, Supasundae, win the Coral Cup and Snow Falcon, Penhill and Baupaume have all run well in it and subsequently run well in the Stayers Hurdle. This year, there are arguably two horses to take out the race with an eye on the Coral Cup: Saint Sam and Beacon Edge.
Firstly, Saint Sam (14/1) returns to the hurdle scene after his chasing career rather fell apart in his final two runs, unseating in the Arkle before constant mistakes meant he finished last of six at Punchestown. However, there are more than bits of form that suggest he can go well here. Even over fences, he was a four-length 3rd to Blue Lord at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Blue Lord subsequently finished 3rd in the Arkle before winning at Punchestown and after another Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas is now rated 166. Moreover, when watching that race back, Saint Sam, who keenly went from the front lost momentum from his own jumping errors and yet when being swallowed up by front 2 rallied strongly over the 2m 1f trip to finish a closing again 3rd. Here, jumping errors and keenness were his faults but we were shown how much ability lingered.
He also has form in big field handicaps, finishing 2nd to Jeff Kidder in the 2021 Boodles carrying 11st 8lb. Jeff Kidder followed up at both Fairyhouse (Gr2) and Punchestown (Gr1) and reached a rating of 145. Despite being keen, the 22 large field of the boodles helped Saint Sam settle better, something which small field chases did not, and moreover the absence of fences themselves eliminated any significant errors.
Since returning to hurdles this year, Saint Sam won over 2m4f at Punchestown taking another keen hold before being sent off evens favourite for the Boyne. It was thought perhaps he could win that before an entry in the Stayers' Hurdle, however he finished a disappointing 5th. On watching the race back, they didn’t go much pace in the first half mile, with Saint Sam pulling hard in rear. He made a bad mistake two out and wasn’t given a hard time of it after Paul Townend knew he was beat.
The Coral Cup always throws up a big field and this should give Saint Sam a much better chance of settle with the guarantee of a strong pace. He has already shown his suitability to both big field handicaps and Cheltenham, and although we must await a rating by the English handicap, he was only rated 143 over hurdles as Juvenile and pieces of his form, such as his Dublin racing festival 3rd last year suggest that anything below 150 would be within his reach.
Secondly, Beacon Edge (20/1), who was 3rd in the Boyne Hurdle, may skip a tilt at the Stayers Hurdle to have a go here. Beacon Edge’s profile is patchy, but it is littered with Grade 1 form, so much so that he has never even contested a handicap.
3rd in the Punchestown bumper behind Colreevy and Abacadabras, a ¾ length 3rd behind Honeysuckle in the 2020 Hattons Grace, a five-length 4th behind Flooring Porter in the 2021 Stayers' Hurdle and a win in the 2021 Drinmore in front of Gabynako and Fury Road are all just some examples of this. However, he, like Saint Sam, rather lost his way over fences.
His trainer Noel Meade said: “He didn’t like jumping fences and he kind of lost his way because he was worried about them.” He also mentioned how it’s taken him a few runs to get him back to himself over hurdles but his recent 3rd in the Boyne behind Stayers Hurdle fancy Blazing Khal shows a strong return to form. Moreover, despite wins on heavy ground, Meade feels he is much better on good ground, with his Drinmore win, Stayers' Hurdle 4th, and Punchestown bumper 3rd all coming on a quick surface.
Indeed, when watching the Stayers Hurdle back, he seemed booked for a close 2nd until weakening out of it in the final furlong and a half. Not only is the Stayers run over three miles, but it is also run on the more stamina sapping new course which holds a longer run in and only has two hurdles in the final seven furlongs meaning they get racing much further out.
He lost two places on the run in to out and out stayers, Paisley Park and Sire du Berlais, and the drop back to the Coral Cup trip, 2m 5f, looks perfect for him. He reached a high of 158 over hurdles and 152 over fences and yet is down to a rating of 145. Whilst also only nine, his performance last time showed he retains bags of ability and if he can handle the hustle and bustle of a big field handicap, which admittedly is an unknown, he must go close if taking up this engagement in his first handicap start.
Last year’s County the key?
The phrase “Graded horse in a handicap” is truly an overused platitude in the racing game yet in last year’s county hurdle that is exactly what State Man was. Running there after only one maiden hurdle win at 1/7, he was remarkably sent off the 11/4 favourite, his price fuelled by hype and trainer comments. Yet he won comfortably, and that form has started to look very well.
The previous winner West Cork was back in 4th to rate the form around and First Street, 2nd, easily won in his next handicap start at Newbury. State Man has since gone on to win four Grade 1’s on the trot including most recently the Irish Champion Hurdle culminating in a rating of 167, 26lbs higher than what he ran off. Therefore, perhaps looking for a horse in this particularly hot race for this year’s festival is a wise move.
Firstly, back in 5th that day was Ballyadam (16/1), who was in fact giving weight to all the first three home including State Man himself. Ballyadam has now run well twice at the Festival, the other being when 2nd, albeit remote, behind Appreciate It in the 2021 Supreme. The way Henry de Bromhead’s charge was staying on in the County, a race run over 2m 1f on the New Course (more stamina sapping) suggests that 2m 5f on the sharper old course is well within reach.
After a poor run at Galway, he was given a break and he returned with a very strong 3rd in the Liffey at the Dublin Racing festival off 11st 11lb, only 1lb below that of Gaelic Warrior and only four lengths behind. Gaelic Warrior would around 4/1 favourite for this race if taking up his engagement, which he isn’t, and yet Ballyadam is available at 16/1. Although entering unknown territory regarding the trip his County run last year suggests that he will stay and with two pieces of Festival form to his name, this eight-year-old must go close if seeing out the distance.
The other horse from last year’s county that may turn up here is Felix Desjy (20/1) who was further back in 10th that day. A formerly smart novice hurdler, including a Grade 1 win at the Aintree festival, he has been rejuvenated as a handicap hurdler. In his novice days his keenness meant he often had to make the running, but he has been rebuilt to come off the pace in big field handicap hurdles and it has meant he is able to finish out his races much better.
Despite only 10th, he was staying on well in last year’s county, and went on the win at Punchestown off 138. He was most recently 2nd behind HMS seahorse at Navan who is now favourite for this race and watching back he did well to finish as close after stumbling badly four out. Up to 142 which is 1lb below his county run, the new trip could prompt out further improvement.
Harbour Lake to step up on Greatwood run?
Finally, the last horse to look at his Harbour Lake (25/1) who was 3rd in this season’s Greatwood Hurdle behind I Like to Move It. Run over two miles on quick ground, Harbour Lake was badly outpaced beaten 18 lengths, but rallied well in the final furlong to get up for third. The winner, has since followed up in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton, proving himself worthy of a Champion hurdle entry and is up to 157. Stepping up in trip on his next start at Aintree saw him finish much closer in 4th.
The 2nd placed, Benson, has since won by 11 lengths on New Year's Day and is up to 134 and the 3rd place Walking on Air has also won at Exeter and has been reassessed to 138. Harbour Lake raced a bit keenly, and a bigger field and stronger pace in the Coral Cup should help him settle better. Although pulled up on his latest start in the Lanzarote, there were only four finishers that day in what was an attritional race and down to a mark of 132, this improving seven-year-old could have a live outside chance.
Coral Cup Ante-Post Tips
With only one favourite winning in the last 10 years, a case can be made for so many runners including many not written about. However, the two most pressing for me are Camprond and Beacon Edge. Camprond’s record in big field handicaps of 2441 at major festivals, including Cheltenham last year, where he also had valid excuses, give him a huge chance of winning if the ground is true spring ground.
A chance must be taken that this has been the plan with his form this year disappointing, but his mark is too tempting not to take a chance on him. Beacon Edge arguably has the best form in the field, and he could make a mockery off a mark of 145 if taking this engagement up on what would be his first ever handicap start. Make sure to get him at Non-runner No bet if he does go for the Stayers'.
