Imperial Cup at Sandown

Sandown´s pre-Cheltenham meeting traditionally features the Imperial Cup, a valuable 2 mile handicap hurdle at 16.10 CET, and the sponsors dangle an attractive carrot here by offering a 100,000 GBP bonus for any horse that wins this race and then goes on to score next week at the Festival. The Pipe stable have frequently targeted this bonus - and won it several times- and David Pipe today now saddles 2 runners, Heath Hunter (Kieron Edgar) and the likely hot favourite Bidourey (Tom Scudamore). The latter has won his last 5 races in good style, but we are not convinced: all these wins have been on soft ground, while it is drying out today, and the opposition today is far stronger than anything he has met before. In addition,he is the only 4yo in the field and it is very tough for this age group against hardy older handicappers. Our main hope here is Fascino Rustico (Dan and Harry Skelton), who fell when still going well in the Betfair Hurdle last time, a race in which several of today´s field ran. With the Henderson/ Geraghty team now in tremendous form, we are afraid of West Wizard, despite the fact that he has been a beaten favourite for his last 3 races, while First Avenue (Laura Mongan/ Tom Cannon), who won here in 2013 and runs his best races at this track, is our best outsider. The 15.00 is another extremely difficult handicap hurdle, this time over 2 1/2 miles for novices. German-bred L´Aigler Royal (John Quinn/ Jack Sherwood) is a good German-bred, but again, as the only 4yo in the field, we shall discard him, and think that Pipe/ Scudamore with Mount Haven and Henderson/ Geraghty with Aigle de la See must come on to our short list, together with Great Try (Paul Nicholls/ Nick Scholfield) and Hello George (Philip Hobbs/ Richard Johnson). SAnotjher German-bred here is our old friend Seventh Sky (Charlie Mann/ Gavin Sheehan) at 17.20; he has won 3 times this season, but to our mind he is running much too often now, and in this race we have a sneaking fancy for bottom weight Cayman Islands (John Ferguson/ Sam Twiston-Davies).

For a German-bred winner today we go to Wales, where Floresco, who won on the flat at Düsseldorf in 2013, must have a solid each-way chance in the novice hurdle at 15.25 at Chepstow. There is also jumps racing in Scotland, where Titus Bolt (Jim Goldie/AP Lane) is our each-way selection for the 17.30 at Ayr, and in Ireland at Gowran Park.

On the flat, Wolverhampton stages ist best card of the year. Marco Botti holds a strong hand in the opening listed race at 15.15 with Grey Mirage (Ryan Moore) and Al Thakhira (Frankie Dettori), with preference for the latter. The Lincoln Trial at 15.50 can go to Billingsgate (Charlie Appleby/ Shane Grey), unplaced at Meydan last time, but who has good form at Kempton and we hope he acts here as well. Richard Kingscote makes his comeback from injury here and can enjoy a winner for his boss Tom Dascombe with Ballista in the 6 furlongs handicap at 17.00.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Princess Ombu - Golden Spear - Ultimate Act
2. Race: Aigle De La See - Kingfisher Creek - As De Mee
3. Race: Ballyheigue Bay - Umberto d`Olivate - Kings Apollo
4. Race: Bidourey - Calipto - Zip Top
5. Race: Whistle Dixie - Rose Revived - Babylone Des Motte
6. Race: Traffic Fluide - Ubaltique - Yorkist
7. Race: Saints And Sinners - Granville Island - Rouge Et Blanc