SANDOWN PARK HORSERACING -- IMPERIAL CUP DAY SATURDAY 13th MARCH 2021

Paddy Power Imperial Cup Day 2021

With only a few days till this years Cheltenham Festival we have a wonderful warm up with the annual Sandown Park Imperial Cup meeting. We will have seven races taking place on Imperial Cup day, now sponsored by Paddy Power, and will be featuring two Grade 3 hurdles and a listed National Hunt flat race. The Imperial Cup was first run in 1907 and was considered the most important and prestigious hurdle race of the season right up until the launch of the Champion hurdle at Cheltenham in 1927. The last three winners of this race – Malaya, London Prize and Mr Antolini – didn’t go onto run at the Cheltenham Festival while Flying Angel (winner in 2016) finished runner up in the Martin Pipe Conditional race so you have to go back to Gaspara (below in 2007) to find the last winner of this race to go on and gain success at the Festival picking up a nice bonus in the process.

GASPARA (shown on right) winning here back in 2007.

A £100,000 bonus is again up for grabs for winners of this race to go on and win next week at the festival, the likes of Olympian [1993], Blowing Wind [1998] and Gaspara [2007] have all gone on to win at the Cheltenham Festival after winning here at Sandown Park, the first two trained by the legendary Martin Pipe, and David Pipe took up the mantle winning with Gaspara keeping it in the family. No one has done this feat since. Last year this meeting was a casualty to the weather, sadly a waterlogged Sandown Park, hopefully we will see some action this year but who will be victorious in 2021? 

Sandown Park
Going: Hurdle: good to soft [good in places].

Chase: good [good to soft in places].

13:15  Paddy's Giving Away 1 Million Today Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
(4yo, Class 3, 1m 7f 216y, 6 runners)

We begin today's meeting with a race for 4yo's, these six will make their mark in future handicaps as they mature but we begin with Hudson De Grugy [Trainer Gary Moore], who leads the field and the early betting market. Has experience of the track winning here last time out although did tend to wander about a little up the hill, should be hard to beat with that experience even with the weight burden of 11-12.

Marta Des Mottes [T Symonds], [Non Runner] is next in the list, this filly was a winner when trained in France on soft going, might find this a bit too quick but interesting for the future, Volkovkah [F O'Brien], has the most form on display and was driven clear to win at Exeter last time out, the danger to Hudson De Grugy on that form. The Worthy Brat  [J Scott], having won his opening bumper last year hasn't really shown a great deal on three hurdle runs and is passed over today while State Crown [Evan Williams], was close to scoring on his second hurdle contest at Newcastle, but hasn't progressed since that run, although a return to that level of form might see him in the mix up the hill.

Global Agreement [M F Harris], completes the field and was pulled up when last seen over hurdles should complete in his own time but easy to look elsewhere in this line up.

Result - (1) Hudson De Grugy @4/5f [Joshua Moore].

13:50  European Breeders' Fund Paddy Power 'National Hunt' Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final (Grade 3)
(Class 1, 2m 3f 173y, 18 runners)

Big field with plenty of winners but all stepping up in grade considerably for this final. Headed by the David Pipe inmate Martinhal a winner of last two runs at Exeter and this will be a lot tougher. Gladiateur Allen [3rd 10/1] (Mrs Jane Williams) and The Mick Preston (Nigel Twiston-Davies) are our pair against the field in this wide open contest.

If at least 16 still stand their ground will have four places to aim at in the place/each way markets, I would look to include Jeremy Pass [Non Runner] from the Paul Nicholls stable, looks overpriced for one of his at 20/1, a winner on his seasonal return and a good third last time out if you can overlook his Ascot failure in-between, surely a good place prospect today.

Result - (17) Beauport @28/1 [J Nailor].

14:25 The Paddy Power IMPERIAL CUP Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)
(Class 1, 1m 7f 216y, 15 runners)

The feature race for the meeting and will see if David Pipe keeps his entries which include Leoncavallo [Non Runner], also keen to see if Gary Moore sends Natural History too. Paul Nicholls has loads of entries as you'd expect, but for all his ammunition has only been successful once with Malaya back in 2019 she is currently amongst the early declarations. All of these have made it through to the final declaration for Saturday and it's the Gary Moore trained Natural History that appears to be strongly fancied in the market. Will have a wager on that, and also Leoncavallo at 12/1 plus the place bet, both of these have entries in the County Hurdle at the festival.

Mack The Man another at a big price (25/1) and a low weight, James Bowen rides and a course winner over this distance just before Christmas.

The David Pipe runners aren't going to appear due to an accident on the motorway, they have been stuck for several hours, hope the horses are fine. 

Result - (12) Langer Dan (IRE) @5/1 [Harry Skelton].

15:00 The European Breeders’ Fund Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race Final (Listed Race)

(Class 1, 1m 7f 216y, 18 runners)

This listed 'bumper' appears in the middle of the card allowing for the hurdles course to be cleared, headed by Rainyday Woman (Paul Nicholls) who has a penalty to carry and Megan Nicholls rides. Code Name Lise won well at Ascot and should be close on this track where Bryony Frost takes over in the saddle from Richard Johnson who is booked to ride Marshmallo for trainer Henry Daly. 

Down the bottom of the field we have Tweed Skirt (Nicky Henderson) a comfortable winner of her only bumper at Wetherby and could be one to view in the market getting all the available allowances, might be the one to be on here.

Result - (6) Flirtatious Girl @13/2 [David Bass].

15:35  Paddy's Rewards Club Novices' Handicap Chase
(Class 1, 2m 4f 10y, 10 runners)

Final three races are all chases, a novice event to begin with with a field of ten runners headed by Paul Nicholls' Stratagem who was successful in a three runner race last time out, this looks more competitive so we pass over today. The Gary Moore trained runner High Up In The Air has been mopping up chases at Plumpton, Fontwell with relative ease and although this is a significant step up in class he does seem to have jumping prowess from a yard that does well here. 

Nicky Henderson runs Lust for Glory this 8yo mare was gifted a novice chase at Ludlow last time when the favourite fell two from home, her Wetherby win in January confirms that she is to be feared though. (3rd @25/1)

Result - (10) Fairnet @13/2 [Charlie Deutsch].

16:10  'From The Horse's Mouth' Podcast Handicap Chase
(Class 3, 3m 37y, 10 runners)

A stayers chase over 3m now where Quick Wave might have a say despite top weight for Trainer Venetia Williams, won well over this trip on soft going at Catterick, was being eased down so value for that 8L success. Eclair de Guye a 7yo stayer for Lucy Wadham was runner up here last time and successful prior to that so in good order, along with Boughtbeforelunch [Paul Webber] has been regularly placed over this trip, runner up here last time too and looks a decent place bet again, but is now another Non Runner.

Result - (6) Fortescue @8/1 [Richard Johnson].

16:45  Paddy Power '3 Sleeps To Cheltenham' Handicap Chase
(Class 3, 2m 4f 10y, 9 runners)

Our finale this afternoon, Golden Whisky (Evan Williams) and Go Steady (Dan Skelton) have both been running well over similar trips on soft/heavy going however the one to be on looks to be Five Star Getaway (C Williams) who travelled well when winning at Wincanton last time and creeps into this handicap with only 10-1 to carry.

Result - (9) Five Star Getaway @11/8f [Nick Scholfield].

Hope you have a good afternoon, and are all set for next week's Cheltenham Festival. We will have a blog entry for each day and covering all the races so hope you will return and check that out. Cheltenham Festival Day One - Champion Hurdle Blog will appear here from Monday night.

Have a great week!!