The BetMGM Cup is a Premier Handicap National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 5 furlongs (4,225 metres), and during its running there are ten hurdles to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The event was established in 1993, and was sponsored by Coral from its inception until the 2025 running. The inaugural winner, Olympian, was given a bonus prize of £50,000 for having won the Imperial Cup the previous weekend. The race was promoted to Grade 3 status in 1999 and was re-classified as a Premier Handicap from the 2023 running when Grade 3 status was renamed by the British Horseracing Authority. Coral announced the end of their sponsorship in January 2026. BetMGM took over the sponsorship from the 2026 running.
There were high winds on the day of the planned running in 2008, so the Coral Cup was rescheduled and run on Cheltenham's New Course. The distance of the rearranged event was 2 miles and 4½ furlongs.
Records Most successful horse (2 wins): Langer Dan - 2023, 2024
Leading jockey (3 wins): Davy Russell – Naiad de Misselot (2008), Carlito Brigante (2011), Diamond King (2016) Barry Geraghty - Sky's The Limit (2006), Spirit River (2010), Dame De Compagnie (2020)
Leading trainer (5 wins): Nicky Henderson - Spirit River (2010), Whisper (2014), William Henry (2019), Dame De Compagnie (2020), Jingko Blue (2026)
Winners Weights given in stones and pounds. Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer 1993 Olympian 6 10-00 Peter Scudamore Martin Pipe 1994 Time for a Run 7 11-08 Charlie Swan Edward O'Grady 1995 Chance Coffey 10 10-00 Gerry O'Neill Pat O'Donnell 1996 Trainglot 9 10-03 Mark Dwyer Jimmy FitzGerald 1997 Big Strand 8 10-00 Jamie Evans Martin Pipe 1998 Top Cees 8 10-00 Barry Fenton Lynda Ramsden 1999 Khayrawani 7 11-03 Fran Berry Christy Roche 2000 What's Up Boys 6 10-03 Paul Flynn Philip Hobbs 2001 no race 2001 2002 Ilnamar 6 10-05 Rodi Greene Martin Pipe 2003 Xenophon 7 11-00 Mick Fitzgerald Tony Martin 2004 Monkerhostin 7 10-08 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2005 Idole First 6 10–10 Alan O'Keeffe Venetia Williams 2006 Sky's the Limit 5 11–12 Barry Geraghty Edward O'Grady 2007 Burntoakboy 9 09-12 Sam Jones Richard Newland 2008 Naiad du Misselot 7 10–13 Davy Russell Ferdy Murphy 2009 Ninetieth Minute 6 10-03 Paddy Flood Tom Taaffe 2010 Spirit River 5 11-02 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson 2011 Carlito Brigante 5 10–12 Davy Russell Gordon Elliott 2012 Son of Flicka 8 10-06 Jason Maguire Donald McCain 2013 Medinas 6 11–10 Wayne Hutchinson Alan King 2014 Whisper 6 11-06 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson 2015 Aux Ptits Soins 5 10-07 Sam Twiston-Davies Paul Nicholls 2016 Diamond King 8 11-03 Davy Russell Gordon Elliott 2017 Supasundae 7 11-04 Robbie Power Jessica Harrington 2018 Bleu Berry 7 11-02 Mark Walsh Willie Mullins 2019 William Henry 9 11-10 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson 2020 Dame De Compagnie 7 10-12 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson 2021 Heaven Help Us 7 10-02 Richard Condon Paul Hennessy 2022 Commander Of Fleet 7 11–10 Shane Fitzgerald Gordon Elliott 2023 Langer Dan 6 11–00 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton 2024 Langer Dan 7 11–08 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton 2025 Jimmy Du Seuil 6 11–07 Danny Mullins Willie Mullins 2026 Jingko Blue 7 11-03 James Bowen Nicky Henderson
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
pedigreequery.com – Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle – Cheltenham. racenewsonline.co.uk – Racenews Archive (21 February 2008).
External links Race Recordings (1993-2010) youtube.com