The annual running of the Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle at Sandown means that the start of the Cheltenham Festival is only three days away. As usual though, tomorrow’s race (2.25 p.m.) is a noteworthy event in its own right: a competitive affair with 17 runners due to line up for a contest worth more than £51,000 to winning connections.
Traditionally, too, this is a race that some trainers – notably Martin Pipe in years gone by – had been plotting to win for some time before sending their horse on to the County Hurdle at Cheltenham six days later. These trainers were, as some still are, in search of two lots of winning prize money and a tasty bonus – now restored to £100,000 – for victory in both the Imperial Cup and a Festival contest.
The ground has been drying out all week and it could well be properly ‘good’ going by the off, which will suit trainer Chris Gordon’s KING WILLIAM RUFUS. This eight-year-old gelding ran well enough last time out on much softer ground than he likes when sixth to the well-handicapped Joyeuse in the Willam Hill Hurdle at Newbury last month.
He lost three places on the run-in that day when his stamina seemed to give out, but he will be better suited to this race on better terrain. Back him 1 point each way at 20-1 with SkyBet, paying six places.
In such a tricky race, I will go in double-handed with OOH BETTY, who won over course and distance on her seasonal debut and has put in a couple of fine runs since. Her last run was arguably her best-ever performance, finishing a close third in a Grade 2 at Ascot behind Take No Chances and Kargesse. She was perhaps fortunate to remain on her official mark of 132 after that race. Back Ooh Betty 1 point each at 12-1 with Ladbrokes or Coral, both paying five places.
My ante-post book for Cheltenham, particularly for day one of the Festival on Tuesday, is looking promising, but I want to add two horses to the list now that we have a good idea of the ground conditions next week. If the weather forecast is right, the meeting is likely to start on ‘good to soft’, if necessary after watering, and then be prominently ‘good’ ground for the rest of the week.
Jamie Snowden is a trainer I like having on my side when his horses run in big races. Not only is he a talented handler of his string but he knows how to prepare a horse for a major target, hence the fact that he has two Festival winners on his CV already.
I feel confident that his novice hurdler WENDIGO will run well in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle on 14 March, day four of the Festival. There was so much to like about his run when second to The New Lion in the Grade 1 Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury and this horse is on the up.
This six-year-old gelding is crying out for a longer trip, so the three miles of the Albert Bartlett should be right up his street. Back him each way at 14-1 with Ladbrokes or Coral, with the Non Runner No Bet (NRNB) concession.
Finally, don’t you love it when trainers change their mind late on about their horse’s intended target? Two weeks ago, I put up Irish handler’s Gavin Cromwell’s gelding PATH D’OROUX for the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase on day 3. That was after the trainer indicated in an attheraces.com stable tour that this race was the target.
Now, however, Cromwell says in his most recent William Hill blog that the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase on the same day is the race his horse is more likely to tackle. Fortunately, no harm has been done to the bank balance as I put Path d’Oroux up NRNB because he had so many Festival entries.
But, in view of his more likely target, back Path d’Oroux each way at 16-1 NRNB with bet365 or SkyBet, for the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase, with both bookies paying five places. I remain hopeful that the step up in trip from two miles to two and a half miles is just what he needs. The latest declarations for day three will be published at lunchtime today.
As for next week, I will be writing a tipping blog for all four days of the Festival with each offering going online every morning from Tuesday to Friday inclusive.
Last weekend: – 3 points
1 point each way Favour and Fortune at 7-1 for the Morebattle Handicap Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Aucunrisque at 25-1 for the Morebattle Handicap Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 6 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Saint Segal at 10-1 for the BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. 3rd + 1 point.
Pending:
1 point each way King William Rufus at 20-1 for the Imperial Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 6 places.
1 point each way Ooh Betty at 12-1 for the Imperial Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way July Flower at 11-1 for the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Whistle Stop Tour at 14-1 NRNB for the Ultima Handicap Chase, paying 1/4 odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Liam Swagger at 33-1 for the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
2 points win Haiti Couleurs at 8-1 for the National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase.
1 point each way Transmission at 12-1 for the National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Sixmilebridge at 16-1 NRNB for the Turners Novices Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Latenightpass at 16-1 for the Cross Country Chase, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Walking On Air at 14-1 NRNB for the Kim Muir Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Djelo at 16-1 for Ryanair Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Ahoy Senor at 50-1 NRNB for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Path d’Oroux at 25-1 NRNB for the Jack Richards Novices’ Chase, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Path d’Oroux at 16-1 NRNB for the TrustATrader Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Galileo Dame at 16-1 NRNB for the Triumph Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Wendigo at 14-1 NRNB for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Our Champ at 66-1 for the County Hurdle, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Kandoo Kid at 33-1 for the Grand National, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
2024-5 jump season running total: – 34.26 points.
2024 flat season: + 41.4 points on all tips.
2023-4 jump season: + 42.01 points on all tips.
2023 flat season: – 48.22 points on all tips.
2022-3 jump season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
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