Kalkir heads inaugural Coral.ie Hurdle betting

The well-backed Kalkir heads the sponsor’s market for Sunday’s Coral.ie Hurdle at 7-1, ahead of De Name Escapes Me and Whatsforuwontgobyu, both 10-1, following the latest entry stage for the Leopardstown contest.

Also taking place at the track is the Coral.ie Leopardstown Chase, for which Dressedtothenines and Fine Rightly are the 7-1 joint favourites.

This is the first time Coral has sponsored a horse racing event in Ireland, and celebrates the fact that Coral has recently obtained an Irish betting licence and is authorised by the Irish Government to take bets from people in Ireland.  The firm is offering a €100,000 bonus to any horse that can win the Coral.ie Hurdle and go on to land the Coral Cup at the same season’s Cheltenham Festival.

The sponsorship deal is for an initial period of three years, and sits alongside a high quality sponsorship portfolio featuring some of the longest-standing race partnerships in the United Kingdom, including the Coral Welsh Grand National since 1973, the Coral-Eclipse since 1976 and the Coral Cup (and before that the Coral Golden Hurdle) at the Cheltenham Festival since 1974.

“We at Coral are looking forward to our first ever Irish horse racing sponsorship and the chance to be involved with one of the highlights of the jumps season, the Coral.ie Hurdle, while we were also pleased to bring back the Leopardstown Chase to the race title,” said Coral’s David Stevens.

“The Coral.ie Hurdle has seen some huge gambles over the years, and the move for Kalkir this year, from an opening 16-1 down to his current 7-1, means we could see another famous result on Sunday,” added Stevens.

**Coral.ie Hurdle

7 Kalkir, 10 De Name Escapes Me, Whatsforuwontgobyu, 12 Desoto County, Herminator, Ice Cold Soul, Sir Scorpion, 14 Vive La France, 16 After Rain, Bamako Moriviere, Princely Conn, Tigris River, Waxies Dargle, 20 Bar

**Coral.ie Leopardstown Chase