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By Billy Blakeman ValueChecker

Sandown's Imperial Cup Preview - David Pipe Looking to Bag Bonus 11/03/11

The Imperial Cup at Sandown on the Saturday before Cheltenham is almost a part of the festival itself. Although on the face of it the race is just a really decent handicap hurdle, there is always the added interest of a lucrative bonus that will go to connections should the winner go on to victory at the Festival next week. Paddy Power are the current sponsors and there are a couple of Irish-trained runners that could figure.

Tito Bustillo
© racing-images.co.uk

Tito Bustillo
Given the large cash bonus, this race tends to attract ‘plots’ and the Pipes of Pond House have achieved the double on a few occasions. The plot factor probably explains the decent record of those lower in the handicap in this race, as the winner tends to be fairly unexposed and have something left to work on handicap wise. The last seven winners have all carried less than 11 stone and there are four in that weight bracket that interest me; Arrayan, Tito Bustillo, Via Galilei and Pateese.

Starting with the last two named, at Newbury earlier in the month the pair finished 1-2 with Via Galilei being well on top at the finish. Such is the wisdom of the handicapper, the runner-up has been punished almost as much as the winner for that but at the price, I wouldn’t rule out Pateese turning the tables. For a start, that was his first run in a handicap whereas Gary Moore’s Via Galilei has much more experience in such races. I would also think it significant if Richard Johnson has punished himself down to the horse’s weight of 10st 2lb (the rider’s 12-month low) this close to Cheltenham. Pateese is currently in the Martin Pipe and I fancy he has an outside chance of the double. The worry would be that he had quite a few runs over in France before going hurdling so he may not have bags of scope to improve but at 25/1, he is worth a go today.

David Pipe has the current favourite Arrayan well entered up for Cheltenham and the lightly-raced 6-y-o has to be included in the gameplan. Looking notably under-exposed, he is with the right yard and Barry Geraghty takes to the saddle after the horse has been conditional ridden the last four times. The faster ground will be an unknown so that could be a factor but the profile of the horse screams back me.

The Imperial Cup at Sandown on the Saturday before Cheltenham is almost a part of the festival itself. Although on the face of it the race is just a really decent handicap hurdle, there is always the added interest of a lucrative bonus that will go to connections should the winner go on to victory at the Festival next week. Paddy Power are the current sponsors and there are a couple of Irish-trained runners that could figure.

Given the large cash bonus, this race tends to attract ‘plots’ and the Pipes of Pond House have achieved the double on a few occasions. The plot factor probably explains the decent record of those lower in the handicap in this race, as the winner tends to be fairly unexposed and have something left to work on handicap wise. The last seven winners have all carried less than 11 stone and there are four in that weight bracket that interest me; Arrayan, Tito Bustillo, Via Galilei and Pateese.

Starting with the last two named, at Newbury earlier in the month the pair finished 1-2 with Via Galilei being well on top at the finish. Such is the wisdom of the handicapper, the runner-up has been punished almost as much as the winner for that but at the price, I wouldn’t rule out Pateese turning the tables. For a start, that was his first run in a handicap whereas Gary Moore’s Via Galilei has much more experience in such races. I would also think it significant if Richard Johnson has punished himself down to the horse’s weight of 10st 2lb (the rider’s 12-month low) this close to Cheltenham. Pateese is currently in the Martin Pipe and I fancy he has an outside chance of the double. The worry would be that he had quite a few runs over in France before going hurdling so he may not have bags of scope to improve but at 25/1, he is worth a go today.

David Pipe has the current favourite Arrayan well entered up for Cheltenham and the lightly-raced 6-y-o has to be included in the gameplan. Looking notably under-exposed, he is with the right yard and Barry Geraghty takes to the saddle after the horse has been conditional ridden the last four times. The faster ground will be an unknown so that could be a factor but the profile of the horse screams back me.

Tito Bustillo represents the powerful Nicholls / Walsh team and he could also be overpriced at 20/1. Another with a flat career in France behind him but not done at all badly and could benefit from the likely frantic pace. Ruby will hopefully be able to creep him in late and even though he is not obviously well handicapped, he should go close

Further up the weights, Ronaldo Des Mottes, Alpine Eagle and Kangaroo Court are singled out. The latter is particularly interesting, having made up into a top class novice chaser during the autumn of 2009. Has run at the last two Festivals and Emma Lavelle is a trainer I have a lot of time for. I wouldn’t be amazed if she has the 7-y-o fit and well after a break of 11-months so I await her pre-race comments with interest.

Recommendation: Arrayan to win, Pateese each-way

 

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