Niall Cronin’s Cheltenham 2019 Tips – Coral Cup

The Coral Cup this year looks a classy renewal. The weights are topped by the veteran Wicklow Brave who is a Grade 1 winner over jumps and a Group 1 Classic winner on the Flat.

The race also includes a Triumph Hurdle winner in Farclas, the Martin Pipe and Grade 1 winner Killultagh Vic and last year’s Coral Cup winner Bleu Berry. The likely favourite is high class Flat performer Uradel in the same colours as last year’s winner.

Apple’s Jade’s sister Apple’s Shakira hasn’t lived up to initial reputation and Dermot McLoughlin’s course and distance winner Canardier wouldn’t have been disgraced in the Neptune.

You really could make a case for any of the above but the vote from this corner goes to BoyleSports ambassador Robbie Power on Vision Des Flos for Colin Tizzard.

The 16/1 shot is up near the top of the weights but could be just coming under the radar here slightly after starting his season over fences and then keeping the best company over hurdles.

Well beaten by Champion Hurdle runners Buveur D’air and Brain Power in three of his outings this season and then third to Supreme Novices’ Hurdle runner Grand Sancy on his penultimate start, Vision Des Flos picked up the winning habit at Fontwell last month and that could be good timing.

Vision Des Flos is still only a six-year-old and while maybe vulnerable to a novice on the up, the weights of this race are fairly compressed with the exception of the bottom five runners and it’s hard to see the winner come from that group.
Vision Des Flos will be suited by the trip and the ground shouldn’t be an inconvenience. He ticks a lot of boxes and at the price it would be hard not to have an interest.

Killultagh Vic and Dancing On My Own also make the shortlist.