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Pulse Racing
BetMGM Cup
Detailed race analysis for The BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival
* note all data is from 2016 unless otherwise stated.
RACE SUMMARY
First run in 1993, the BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle is a highly competitive Premier Handicap at the Cheltenham Festival.
Originally sponsored by Coral, the race took its BetMGM name in 2026.
Open to horses aged four and older, it is run on the Old Course over 2 miles 5 furlongs, with 10 hurdles to be jumped.
As a handicap it’s highly competitive and a searching test of jumping, stamina and tactical ability.
WINNING PROFILE
AVERAGE AGE
7.4
145
AVERAGE OFFICIAL RATING
AVERAGE HURDLE RUNS PRIOR
9.7
PATH TO CHELTENHAM
The following races have produced the most BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle winners since 2016:
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(2) Relkeel Hurdle (Cheltenham, January)
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(2) Boyne Hurdle (Navan, February)
Number of horses that ran in these races and went on to win at Cheltenham that season in brackets.
TRAINER WINS
TRAINER S/R
WINS BY AGE
PULSE STOPPER
Nineteen horses that won a graded hurdle that season are 0/19 in this race.
Five-year-olds 0/37 and six-year-olds are 1/66
Horses > 20/1 are 3/147 | 2.0%
Winning last time out is generally a negative at 3/51 | 5.9%
PULSE INSIGHT
Irish-trained horses have a slight edge with a 6/118 | 5.1% record against the British-trained 5/155 | 3.2%
Henderson has had 138 runners in handicaps since 2016 and has only six winners - a 4.3% strike rate. He has four winners over hurdles with three in this race 3/30 | 10% and would have returned a profit of £10 to £1 level stakes.
Dan Skelton has the highest strike rate for trainers with multiple winners having won this race twice with Langer Dan 2/9 | 22.2%
Although the nineteen graded hurdle winners did not win the Coral Cup / BetMGM Cup, five horses that did complete in a graded race that season won the race from a total of 104 runners | 4.8%
Skelton and Henderson horses combined would be 5/39 | 12.8%
There have been 34 runners rated officially at 150+ of these two won at average odds of 40/1 and five were placed at an average over 15/1. This would return a profit of over £50 to £1 each way level stakes.
PULSE EDGE
PULSE SUMMARY
Wide Open Handicap
The Coral Cup, as it was known, now the BetMGM Cup, has had an average of almost 25 runners since 2016. Although two favourites have obliged we have also seen winners at 50's, 33's and 28's.
That said, Mullins, Elliott, Skelton & Henderson have collected nine of the last eleven wins, though that was from one-hundred-and-eighteen runners, at a strike rate of 7.6%.
Although at bigger prices at times class horses can be worth following with those at OR 150+ returning a healthy profit.
PULSE VERDICT
Pulse Rate
Horses rated 150+ (2/34) would have returned a profit of £46 to £1 level stakes (if £1 each way this would be £50.50 profit)
Pulse Stopper
Horses aged 5-years-old or 6-years-old 1/103 | 0.97%
Pulse Insight
Henderson's handicap hurdles record is 4/91 | 4.4% though three of the four winners are in this race 3/30 | 10%
Pulse Edge
Henderson & Skelton combined have won 5/11 | 45.5% at a strike rate of 5/39 | 12.8% and a profit of £19 to £1 level stakes
ALL DATA FROM 2016 UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
LAST UPDATED SEPT 2026