THEATRE GLORY might just be a handicap plot for the Coral Cup, where she can be backed non runner no bet at 16/1 with Hills. I was on her at Kempton on Boxing Day where she drifted from 5/1 all the way out to 14/1 on the exchange – clearly someone knew she wasn’t winning. All the more curious was the ride from Nico de Boinville, who took her wide in the straight away from the first two home and barely asked her for pressure when the race heated up. It didn’t look like they wanted to win the race and she’s been left alone by the handicapper on a mark of 137, which coincidentally would be bottom weight in the Coral Cup in four of the last five seasons. With no entry for this weekend’s Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton and no obvious big pots to go for between now and the Festival, she’s a highly likely runner. Theatre Glory has won round Cheltenham on spring ground – a massive tick – and carries a fair reputation herself. Jerry McGrath, closely associated with the Henderson yard, put her up for the Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle a few months ago and the thought is she could be plenty better than a handicapper. You’d usually want a horse who realistically could be 10lb well in for a Cheltenham Festival handicap and, if she were to be competitive in the Mares’ Hurdle, I’d say a mark of 147 is achievable. She wasn’t included in the Mares’ Hurdle entries today, presumably as Henderson has a nap hand in the race – he trains the antepost first and second favourites.
1pt win Theatre Glory @16/1, Coral Cup (NRNB with William Hill)
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