David Pipe gunning for Coral Cup glory

The Coral Cup has attracted a mammoth 136 entries and David Pipe has two leading possible contenders in the shape of Dell’ Arca and Un Temps Pour Tout.

Both were very smart performers in France and have created a good impression since joining the Pond House handler, who has a total of seven horses entered in the 2m 5f contest.

Dell’ Arca, who was bought for 280,000 euro, ran out the impressive winner of Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham and ran a cracker to finish runner-up in the Betfair Hurdle last time out.

Un Temps Pour Tout, who gave Dell’ Arca 8lb and a short-head beating in France, was purchased for £450,000.

After getting turned over on his debut for Pipe at Haydock when sent off the 11/8 favoruite favourite ran out a wide margin winner of a novice hurdle at Ascot.

Both are five-year-olds, and that is positive as far as stats for the Coral Cup are concerned as three of the last eight winners have been that age.

They are also both second season hurdlers, and horses meeting that criteria have triumphed in seven of the last nine runnings.

However, when it comes to what rating is required to win the race, the pair are split.

Since the race was first run in 1993, just one horse with an official rating higher than 147 has triumphed.

That is a negative as far as the 148-rated Un Temps Pour Tout is concerned, but a positive for Dell’ Arca (141).

Fans of the former will, however, be able to take some heart out of the fact that last year’s winner Medinas was also rated 148 and far more exposed going into the race.

Dell’ Arca is the shorter of the pair in the betting for the Coral Cup with the sponsors, who go 14/1 about his chances.

The gelding also holds entries in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle and the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handciap Hurdle.