With the Cheltenham Festival getting ever close we are beginning to see ante-post markets take a firmer shape, but our value tipster Matthew Sutcliffe still feels there’s value to be had out there.
In his latest column, he opts for an Irish-trained runner that is currently 33/1 for the Coral Cup and having finished third in the Champion Bumper last season has shown he can deliver the goods at the festival.
Coral Cup – Shuttle Diplomacy 33/1 1pt EW 4 places
The value is tightening by the week in the Cheltenham ante-post markets, particularly in the Novice/Graded contests, but there is still some to be had in the handicaps and the Coral Cup potentially saw a top contender on Sunday in Shuttle Diplomacy.
Ideally we would have the NRNB concession in play here, as Thomas Cooper said he’ll have to look at the Turners’ for his son of Dschingis Secret after a comfortable success at Naas. Shortly after however, he popped the question regarding whether he was qualified for handicaps now, and there was a glimmer of hope that handicaps may be an avenue after he was met with a successful answer.
Shuttle Diplomacy was third in last year’s Champion Bumper in a race which has worked out well subsequently for the most part. The winner followed up at Punchestown in G1 company next time out, and has since got off the mark over hurdles in good style, sending her to the top of the Dawn Run market. The second won on his hurdles debut and was second to No Drama This End in the G2 Hyde Novices’, the fifth looks a strong contender for the Supreme having looked to be in the process of running out a smart winner on hurdles debut at Leopardstown prior to stumbling after the last, the sixth beat the highly regarded Mydaddypaddy in the G1 Formby now rated 141, the seventh is an Albert Bartlett contender after his second in G1 company last time out, and the eighth is unbeaten over hurdles latterly winning the Challow, looking a strong contender for the Turners.
Shuttle Diplomacy had initially failed to frank that form himself in two runs over hurdles, but when equipped with a tongue tie at Limerick he put in a much improved performance, beaten two lengths behind the Willie Mullins trained King Rasko Grey giving him 8lbs, with the winner 3/1 for a G1 at the DRF this weekend.
He shaped as if going up in trip will suit him there, and that proved the case when stepped up to 2m2f at Naas. Shuttle Diplomacy travelled strongly and jumped fluently in behind the leaders, before cruising to the front under Daniel King, picking up well late on despite only being nudged out for that success.
While that form doesn’t look overly strong at first glance, he beat the Mullins trained 2/1 favourite four lengths there pulling well clear of the third. He again shaped as if stepping up in trip further would suit, unsurprisingly given his dames a half sister to one peaking at an RPR of 152 over three miles.
I’d suspect it’ll either be the Turners or the Coral Cup, and hopefully connections lean towards the latter as on the balance of his overall form, his current mark (with the potential of a slight rise from the BHA) looks more than workable whereas the Turners could easily require one running to a mark of 145+ given the depth of quality among the market principals.
FAQs: Cheltenham Festival ante-post tips
When & where is the Coral Cup run?
The Coral Cup will take place on Wednesday 11 March 2026 at 2.40pm at the Cheltenham Festival.
When was this Cheltenham ante-post tip published?
This Cheltenham ante-post tip was published at 2.55pm on Tuesday 27 January 2026.
Who is Matty Sutcliffe?
Matty Sutcliffe is one of GG’s newest contributors and is now a regular guest on our flagship Weekend Watch podcast. His angle is value bets, making him a perfect fit for our Cheltenham Festival ante-post series.
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