Kopeck De Mee: who is the 'trader's nightmare' who has been smashed into favouritism for three Cheltenham handicaps?

Kopeck De Mee already has the bookmakers on edge ahead of the Cheltenham Festival, but who is the market springer who has not run in Britain or Ireland and who could be one of the gambles of the meeting? 

The five-year-old has surged to the head of the market for the Coral Cup, County Hurdle and Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle since the entries for them were released on Tuesday.

Having been 14-1 for the Coral Cup on Sunday, he has been smashed into 6-1 favourite for that as well as 7-1 market leader for the County from as big as 16-1 last week. He is also 6-1 joint-favourite for the Martin Pipe.

He is qualified to run in all three of those contests with five hurdle outings to his name in France, but heads to the Cheltenham Festival without a run on these shores. 

How did Kopeck De Mee fare in France?

He raced seven times there for trainer Joel Boisnard and was successful on four occasions. His sole Flat win came at Senonnes-Pouance in June 2023, while his first hurdles success came at the same track last March.

He backed that up with two more hurdle wins, including a storming four-and-a-half-length success in a Listed contest at Auteuil when last seen in May. The third that day, Zephyr De Beaumont, has since won a Listed race and finished runner-up in a Grade 1 hurdle at Auteuil.

What has happened since?

He was subsequently bought by JP McManus and has been sent into training with Willie Mullins, with the Cheltenham Festival looking like it could be his debut for new connections.

Mullins has had plenty of recent success in Cheltenham's handicap hurdles with French recruits, including with Absurde (2024), State Man (2022) and the McManus-owned Saint Roi (2020) in the County Hurdle. 

Absurde: won last year's County HurdleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Galopin Des Champs also won the Martin Pipe four years ago. However, all of them had run at least twice in Ireland for Mullins before their festival heroics.

What do the bookmakers think of Kopeck De Mee's chances?

They are in agreement that wherever he turns up and wins, it will prove costly.

Coral's spokesperson John Hill said: "Kopeck De Mee has the profile to be one of the biggest gambles in the handicap races this year. We've already seen interest in our Coral Cup betting and it would be no surprise to see many punters latch on to him ahead of his British debut."

Barry Orr, Betfair Sportsbook's spokesperson, added: "Kopeck De Mee is defensively priced up due to the trainer-and-owner axis. He’s already had his five runs in France, but it’s extremely difficult to weigh up the form. He’s a trader’s nightmare."

Paddy Power's spokesperson Paul Binfield said: "We haven’t stopped laying Kopeck De Mee with more information about him filtering through over the past few days. As we’re non-runner no bet, plenty of punters are backing him for all the handicaps he's in. It would be no surprise to see him go off at a relatively short price for wherever he turns up."

Read more here

New Cheltenham Festival handicaps increase number of entries - but Ultima hits record low 

2025 Cheltenham Festival's new running order in full: day-by-day guide and how to watch the big-race action 

'I think the 14-1 is on the generous side' - David Jennings' talking points after Cheltenham Festival handicap entries are revealed 

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.