We still have some pretty testing ground for day two of the Cheltenham Festival, though the better horses are predictably getting through it just fine.

A big field of 24 runners is due to line up for the £100,000 Coral Cup, a two-mile, five-furlong hurdle race on the Old Course during which the horses take on ten flights of hurdles.

This is always a huge betting race and we’re getting stuck right into it. Langer Dan won it twelve months ago and he has been the talking horse this week. The chatter is that he has underwhelming form but has been laid out for a repeat win.

The truth is however that, though he’s capable of doing the business, he still went into last year’s race in better nick and we’ve left him out of a shortlist of six which is made up of these challengers: 

Main Contenders

Built By Ballymore 

Martin Brassil’s Built By Ballymore has an excellent-looking profile for this race.

A six-year-old with improvement to come, he has won two races in a row with the last being 44 days ago. We consider that to be a lovely break between races but without having been away for too long and becoming rusty.

As for substance; his wins at Limerick and Punchestown were achieved over 2m4f+ and on heavy ground. The horses he beat won’t be making many headlines, but he won by 12 lengths pulling the proverbial cart before scoring by the same distance in a visually more striking performance.

In truth, he looks capable of a mark of around 150+ and gets in this of only 139.

Doddiethegreat 

As long as Nicky Henderson’s horses are OK then a big challenger could be Doddiethegreat. His overall form entitles him to be a major player in this race at the weights, but as a punter there are stark pros and cons to weight up about Nico de Boinville’s mount.

On the plus side; he won his first two races very well, finished second around Cheltenham on soft ground and was a nice fourth to Iberico Lord on heavy ground in the Betfair Hurdle.

On the downside; he arguably hasn’t improved much at all since his debut win which, along with his other win, was achieved on much faster ground.

First Street 

Henderson has another on our list in the shape of First Street. This one hasn’t been winning but has been keeping some very exalted company.

Though beaten by a combined 21 lengths, First Street has run third recently to both Constitution Hill and Lossiemouth.

He’s had wind surgery since his last run and could be all the better for it.

Guard Your Dreams 

Nigel Twiston-Davies is one of many British trainers who must feel the racing press have given them no chance this week. He has a lively one in this race in the shape of Guard Your Dreams.

The eight-year-old has plenty of experience over hurdles and is a winner around Cheltenham. Those are the plusses, though admittedly there are some negatives in his profile too such as the ground which he hasn’t run well over of late and the fact that he may be regressing. At the weights, he can still go well.

So Majeste 

JP McManus loves to be champion owner here and Willie Mullins will be champion owner, but often times their horses are over bet.

We’re not saying So Majeste won’t win this race mind you. He has run only four times over hurdles winning twice, once since arriving from France, with his prep run for this ever so easy meaning he could be well handicapped.

What we wouldn’t say however is that he is definitely that well in and his price is too short.

Western Fold 

Gordon Elliott will be desperate for runners this week for all sort of reasons, his Western Fold giving him a chance.

This one is only a five-year-old but he’s got enough miles on the hurdling clock to know what it’s about, he’ll handle the ground and he is well enough off at the weights. If anything, the distance could catch him out but other than that he looks pretty solid.

Summary

If staying well enough then Western Fold can go very well in this race, certainly better than a 20/1 shot anyway.

Doddiethegreat is a more obvious one but there have been lots of whispers about Nicky Henderson’s yard health and he is a single-figure price.

The best value in the race by far is BUILT BY BALLYMORE at a similar price, but with way more potential in these conditions.