Baracouda - could go off odds-on.

By

Coral slashed the odds on L'Ange Au Ciel winning the Grand Annual to 5/1 from 13/2 on Wednesday after substantial ante-post support.

Trainer Paul Nicholls has reportedly named L'Ange Au Ciel as his best bet of the meeting and Coral took more than £20,000 pounds in hundreds of bets on the horse during the morning.

Coral also cut Baracouda to even money from 5/4 for the World Hurdle with 9/2 second favourite, Rule Supreme, looking increasingly likely to bypass the race in favour of a tilt at the Gold Cup.

Coral spokesman Simon Clare said: "Baracouda looks certain to be the betting public's banker bet for the Cheltenham Festival and he could well go off odds-on come Thursday."

Coral's price change summary:

William Hill Chase

6-1 Colourful Life from 9-1 7-1 Tikram from 10-1 15-2 Iris Bleu from 11-1 10-1 Heros Collonges from 14-1 10-1 Zeta's River from 14-1 12-1 Colonel Frank from 14-1 12-1 Joly Bey from 14-1 14-1 Frenchman's Creek from 16-1 16-1 Persian Waters from 20-1

Sporting Index Handicap Steeplechase

4-1 Spot Thedifference from 9-2

Fred Winter Juvenile Novices Handicap Hurdle

7-1 Faasel from 10-1 10-1 Maralan from 12-1 11-1 Papini from 14-1 10-1 Daryal from 12-1

Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle

9-2 Gold Medallist from 5-1

Royal & SunAlliance Chase

6-1 Trabolgan from 7-1 13-2 L'Ami from 7-1 15-2 Comply Or Die from 8-1 11-1 Cornish Rebel from 12-1

Kim Muir

9-2 Zeta's River from 6-1 12-1 Lou du Moulin Mas from 16-1 14-1 The Bushkeeper from 16-1

Champion Bumper

8-1 Karanja from 10-1 9-1 Rasharrow from 10-1

Jewson Novices Handicap Steeplechase

10-1 Captain Corelli from 14-1 12-1 Joes Edge from 16-1 16-1 Persian Waters from 20-1 16-1 Sir OJ from 20-1

Daily Telegraph Festival Trophy

7-1 Le Roi Miguel from 9-1

Mildmay of Flete

14-1 Claymore from 16-1 14-1 Colca Canyon from 20-1 14-1 Lacdoudal from 16-1

National Hunt Chase

5-1 Sixo from 6-1 12-1 Willie John Daly from 14-1 7-1 Your A Gassman from 8-1 8-1 Brave Spirit from 10-1 10-1 Whitford Don from 14-1

County Hurdle

12-1 Stance from 16-1

Coral Cup

16-1 Cardenas from 25-1