Cheltenham: two tough handicaps and the even tougher bumper

the last 3 races today at Cheltenham look by far the hardest from the punting point of view. The Coral Cup, a handicap hurdle over 2 miles 5 furlongs at 17.00 CET has 28 runners, and anyne who hits the tricast here can probably retire on the proceeds. Psycho (Tony Martin/ Davy Russell) and The Polomoche (Nicky Henderson/ Barry Geraghty) are the likely favourites here, with Pierrot LÖunaire (Paul Nicholls/ Ruby Walsh), Pauzse and Clause (Emma Lavelle/ Jack Doyle) and David Pipe´s pair, top-weight Lough Derg (Tom Scudamore) and unbeaten Great Endeavour (Timmy Murphy) four more for thre short list. The Fred Winter juvenile handcap hurdle over 2 miles at 17.40 has 24 runnes and looks just as dificult. Pipe again has a strong hand with top-weight Mr. Thriller (Scudamre), who ran a great race on Saturday in the Imperial Cup, and Ronaldo des Mottes (Murphy), never yet out of the first two, while German-bred Amore Mio (Emma Lavelle/ Jack Doyle), and Nicky Henderson´s three runners mu st also be respected, but this race could to to Ireland via Edward O´Grady´s Alexander Severus (Andrew McNamara), an eye-catchung third last time out. An Irish victory seems almost certain in the final Champion Bumper at 17.15, with 16 of the 24 runners trained in the Emerald Isle, no fewer than 8 of tghem trained by Willie Mullins, who has an excellent record in this event. Jockey bookings suggest that Sicilian Secret, with son Patrick in the saddle, and Quel Esprit (Ruby Walsh) are the best of them.