The Coral Trophy is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 3 miles (), and during its running there are eighteen fences to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year in late February.
The race was first run in 1949, but in 1988 it was rebranded as the Racing Post Chase and increased in value. The sponsorship by the Racing Post continued until 2011. In the 2012 the sponsorship was taken over by rival weekend newspaper Racing Plus who backed the race until 2013, and in 2014 the sponsorship passed to BetBright. It was sponsored by Betdaq in 2018, 888sport in 2019, Betway in 2020 and Close Brothers Group in 2021. In 2022 Ladbrokes Coral took over the sponsorship. The race held Grade 3 status until 2022 and was re-classified as a Premier Handicap from the 2023 running when Grade 3 status was renamed by the British Horseracing Authority.
The race often serves as a trial for the Grand National, and two horses have won both races in the same year. Both of these horses, Rhyme 'n' Reason (1988) and Rough Quest (1996), also competed in the Cheltenham Gold Cup between their victories.
Records Most successful horse (2 wins): Docklands Express – 1991, 1992 Nacarat – 2009, 2012
Leading jockey (5 wins): Richard Johnson – Gloria Victis (2000), Young Spartacus (2001), Gunther McBride (2002), Farmer Jack (2005), Quinz (2011)
Leading trainer (4 wins): Peter Cazalet- Lochroe (1958), The Rip (1965), Kapeno (1966), Different Class (1968) Philip Hobbs – Dr Leunt (1999), Gunther McBride (2002), Farmer Jack (2005), Quinz (2011)
Winners Weights given in stones and pounds. Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer1949Royal Mount1011-05Patrick Doyle Major Bay Powell 1950Printers Pie611-02Len StephensGerald Wilson1951Cadamstown1110-09Jack DowdeswellV Brunt1952Mont Tremblant611-05Dave DickFulke Walwyn1953Wigby711-00Dick FrancisFrank Cundell1954Claude Duval910–13John BeastyPeter Thrale1955Halloween1012-06Fred WinterBill Wightman1956Abandoned because of snow and frost1957Pointsman912-01Bert MorrowA Kilpatrick1958Lochroe1011–13Edward CazaletPeter Cazalet1959Stanton Johnie909-12Ralph HironsDerek Ancil1960Dandy Scot1011-04Fred WinterRyan Price1961Pouding810–08Fred WinterFulke Walwyn1962Frenchman's Cove711–13Stan MellorHarry Thomson Jones1963Dark Venetian810–10Dave BassettBob Bassett1964Abandoned because of frost 1965The Rip1012-00Dave DickPeter Cazalet1966Kapeno911-01David MouldPeter Cazalet1967Maigret1010-04Johnny HaineIvor Herbert1968Different Class811-09David MouldPeter Cazalet1969Bassnet1011-09Josh GiffordRyan Price1970Titus Oates811–12Stan MellorGordon W. Richards1971The Laird1011-00Jeff KingBob Turnell1972Crisp912-00Richard PitmanFred Winter1973Pendil812-00Richard PitmanFred Winter1974Pendil912-00Richard PitmanFred Winter1975Cuckolder1010-00Andy TurnellBob Turnell1976Canadius710-09Jonjo O'NeillGordon W. Richards1977Don't Hesitate709-09Martin O'HalloranPeter Cundell1978Fort Devon1212-00Bill SmithFulke Walwyn1979Strombolus810–10Bob ChampionPeter Bailey1980Father Delaney810–11Alan BrownPeter Easterby1981Sugarally810-00Peter ScudamoreG Fairbairn1982Two Swallows910-09Anthony WebberRoddy Armytage1983Manton Castle911-07Hywel DaviesJosh Gifford1984Tom's Little Al810-03Colin BrownW R Williams1985Abandoned because of frost 1986Abandoned because of frost 1987Combs Ditch1111-07Colin BrownDavid Elsworth 1988 Rhyme 'n' Reason 9 10–11 Brendan Powell David Elsworth 1989 Bonanza Boy 8 11-01 Peter Scudamore Martin Pipe 1990 Desert Orchid 11 12-03 Richard Dunwoody David Elsworth 1991 Docklands Express 9 10-07 Anthony Tory Kim Bailey 1992 Docklands Express 10 11–10 Anthony Tory Kim Bailey 1993 Zeta's Lad 10 10–10 John White John Upson 1994 Antonin 6 10-04 John Burke Sue Bramall 1995 Val d'Alene 8 11-02 Adam Kondrat François Doumen 1996 Rough Quest 10 10-08 Richard Dunwoody Terry Casey 1997 Mudahim 11 10-02 Rodney Farrant Jenny Pitman 1998 Super Tactics 10 10–10 Andrew Thornton Robert Alner 1999 Dr Leunt 8 11-05 Richard Dunwoody Philip Hobbs 2000 Gloria Victis 6 11–10 Richard Johnson Martin Pipe 2001 Young Spartacus 8 11-03 Richard Johnson Henry Daly 2002 Gunther McBride 7 10-03 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2003 La Landiere 8 11-07 Warren Marston Richard Phillips 2004 Marlborough 12 11–12 Ruby Walsh Nicky Henderson 2005 Farmer Jack 9 11–12 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2006 Innox 10 11-00 Tony McCoy François Doumen 2007 Simon 8 11-05 Andrew Thornton John Spearing 2008 Gungadu 8 11–12 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2009 Nacarat 8 10–13 Tony McCoy Tom George 2010 Razor Royale 8 10-05 Paddy Brennan Nigel Twiston-Davies 2011 Quinz 7 11-00 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2012 Nacarat 11 11-08 Paddy Brennan Tom George 2013 Opening Batsman 7 10-05 Noel Fehily Harry Fry 2014 Bally Legend 9 10–12 Ian Popham Caroline Keevil 2015 Rocky Creek 9 11–11 Sam Twiston-Davies Paul Nicholls 2016 Theatre Guide 9 10-06 Paddy Brennan Colin Tizzard 2017 Pilgrims Bay 7 10-02 James Best Neil Mulholland 2018 Master Dee 9 11-05 Barry Geraghty Fergal O'Brien 2019 Walt 8 10-06 Sam Twiston-Davies Neil Mulholland 2020 Mister Malarky 7 11-00 Jonjo O’Neill Jr Colin Tizzard 2021 Clondaw Castle 9 11-08 Jonathan Burke Tom George 2022 Cap Du Nord 9 10-00 Jack Tudor Christian Williams 2023 Our Power 8 10-08 Sam Twiston-Davies Sam Thomas 2024 Forward Plan 8 10-06 Ben Godfrey Anthony Honeyball 2025 Katate Dori 7 10-05 Charlie Deutsch Sam Thomas 2026 Lookaway 9 11-02 Jack Quinlan Neil King
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Sources Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
pedigreequery.com – Racing Post Chase – Kempton.
External links Race Recordings (1980-2004) youtube.com