Cheltenham 2007: The Coral Cup Betting preview

The Coral Cup is generally one of the trickiest puzzles to solve at the Cheltenham Festival and this valuable handicap has been something of a minefield for punters in recent years with just one of the last ten favourites obliging. Ante-post favourite New Field has been screaming out for a step up to this 2m5f trip and Thomas Mullins' charge peaked at around this time last year so is likely to go very close off his feather weight. But at a top-priced 8/1 I reckon he's worth taking on. The first of two selections is the Nicky Henderson-trained Copsale Lad, who seemed to relish the return to jumping timber last time out having disappointed in his two most recent starts over fences. Indeed, the 10-year-old was always travelling well in the race in question at Newbury, running out a five-length winner from Minella Tipperary with a yawning gap back to the third. That was over 3m so his stamina is assured and while he's been raised 12lb for that decisive victory, he's still off a mark lower than his current rating over the larger obstacles. The 14/1 available with Betfred is too good to miss. Also worth a second look at a massive 33/1 with Paddy Power is Golden Bay, whose trainer, Suzy Smith, does very well with her runners at this track. In fact, Golden Bay's one visit to Prestbury Park resulted in a victory when she ran out a game winner of a well-contested mares' only event on the New Course last April. She shaped promisingly in her first three starts this season in competitive heats and was going great guns in front, holding a six-length advantage when falling at the second last at Wincanton last time. She would have won that race cosily, which didn't go unnoticed as far as the handicapper is concerned as he bumped her up 7lb. However, this race is nowhere near as tough a race as the sheer numbers imply and, under what are set to be optimum conditions and with useful claimer Daryl Jacob bringing her weight down to 10st 3lb, 33/1 is a ridiculous price - she is one of the best each-way bets of the meeting. Mister Hight was my fancy for both the Pierce Hurdle and the totesport Trophy and he ran well in each contest, in the process shaping as though this stiffer test of stamina would be right up his street. Willie Mullins' representative wasn't easy to pass over, but eight of the last 10 winner of this have carried 11st or under and his burden of 11st 5lb might just find him out. The form of Burntoakboy's facile last-time-out win has worked out pretty well and while he still has a fair bit to find strictly on the book, off just a 9lb higher mark he has to enter the picture, especially as he's not got many mile on the clock and could be open to further improvement. Copsale Lad's stablemate Royals Darling is capable of a bold show and, along with another Irish raider, Powerstation, he merits the utmost respect. Nation State ran an eyecatching race at Ascot last time and has claims, along with another Gary Moore-trained runner, Verasi. At big odds Dangerously Good is one to keep an eye on. He shaped well on the level recently and appears to have been laid out for this event. Verdict - 0.50pts win Copsale Lad @ 14/1 (Betfred) & 0.50pts each-way Golden Bay @ 33/1 (Paddy Power free thirty pound bet)