Sandown Imperial Cup Guide 2023

One of the most experienced runners in the race, debuting on the flat back in 2016 at Kempton Park. Began over hurdles in 2018 but failed to win over obstacles until 2019 in a class four at Wincanton before winning his next two races at Taunton and Plumpton.

He fell in the Grade Three Betfair Hurdle in 2020 and has yet to return to best form despite winning a class three at Kempton in November last year, beating Swaffham Bulbeck in the process.

He was fifth last time out behind fellow runners Djelo, Iceo and Hardy Du Seuil by a long distance and this is a difficult test amongst a big field.

Experienced horse on the flat who toyed with flat racing and racing over hurdles throughout his career but has been solely running over obstacles for the last three years now.

Finished a decent second last time out behind Irish Hill in a class two handicap at Ascot when priced at 25/1 after winning at Auteuil prior to that in March 2021. The Ascot outing was first for just under two years, making his debut for Peter Fahey in the process.

Aidan Coleman is booked to ride the 127-rated gelding but it’s a tough one to predict given how lightly raced he has been over the last couple of years.

Experienced runner on the flat as well as being raced over hurdles for Harry Fry. Was most recently pulled up in the Grade One Christmas Hurdle won by 1/7fav Constitution Hill at Kempton last December before finishing eighth on the flat at the same course last month.

Was previously a very strong horse for Fry, winning the Grade One Tolworth Novices Hurdle in 2021 at Sandown and running in the Supreme at Cheltenham, although he disappointed to finish seventh.

Has since been tough going for the seven-year-old and has been nowhere near his best for a while and the weights aren’t kind either, going off a mark of 143 here.

We last saw Playful Saint 73 days ago, where he beat eight other runners to win a class three handicap hurdle contest over this trip at Leicester.

That followed a second placed finish to Love Envoi at Sandown last December and he also won on his second ever run at Wetherby in March last year.

He’s had a good start to his career over hurdles apart from one below-par outing at Chepstow but the drop down to 1m 7f has yielded success and he must be taken seriously here for a top yard, with Harry Skelton onboard.

There looks to be a few contenders for victory in this race and the market will need to be watched with him, having been backed into favourite a couple of times in the lead up to this contest.

Soaring Glory is an experienced runner for Jonjo O’Neill, with graded success in the Grade Three Betfair Hurdle in February 2021.

His last win however came in a class one handicap hurdle contest at Ascot in October 2021 over this trip.
He ran in the 2021 Grade One Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, finishing third behind Glory And Fortune who was two lengths behind winner Epatante.

Had three runs last calendar year, finishing fifth twice and also being pulled up over fences so it is hard to make a case for him on that recent form but has gone well fresh before and goes off a mark of 143 here for the O’Neill duo.

Seven-year-old outsider at 33/1 for Ben Pauling who has won three races over hurdles, at Ffos Las, Newbury and Haydock at class three and four level. The latter of those wins was at Haydock over 2m 2f, before stepping up to 2m 3f at Uttoxeter last month, finishing fifth of 11 at 7/2.

He has won at this trip before but hasn’t run at this course in his career. He’s an interesting runner having triumphed at the same level as some of the runners in this contest and it looks to be a highly competitive race.

Punctuation had a tough start to life over hurdles, failing to win any of his first four runs before reeling off four wins in a row at class three and four level. Things looked to have clicked for him before finishing fourth in a class two handicap at 10/3 favourite.

He steps up in company again here at a trip he hasn’t won over before, so will need to show some improvement on that previous run, but he had won his four races prior to that and has to be respected for that.

Six-year-old mare for Brian Ellison who has had just the four career runs over obstacles, with several on the flat for Jedd O’Keeffe throughout 2019-2021.

Her runs over hurdles have been impressive, winning a class four on debut at Sedgefield and then finishing second three times in a row at Musselburgh, Southwell and Doncaster in a grade two last time out.

That was impressive, given she finished six and a half lengths behind winner Epatante, who was rated 153 at the time.

That run suggested that there’s more to come from this mare and Brian Ellison will be hoping for that here.

Givega is currently 3/4 over hurdles, winning at Lingfield on debut, Fontwell and Sandown after being pulled up in the Grade Two Ballymore Leamington Novices Hurdle at Warwick prior to that victory.

He bounced back with the Sandown success in a class four novice contest, beating Nico de Boinville on the Nicky Henderson trained Immortal.

He jumped very well that day and stayed on strongly to win by seven lengths and must be one of the leading contenders here on that form.

This is a big field with many in-form runners but he is currently the market favourite looking to make it four out of five over hurdles for Gary Moore.

Six-year-old gelding who made the switch from the flat in France to hurdles in the UK for Tom Symonds and has made an impressive start to his career over obstacles. Has recorded top three finishes on each of his last four outings, winning a class three at Bangor-on-Dee in the process.

Was a slightly below-par third last time out in a class four at Doncaster when priced at 7/4 favourite and was beaten at 8/11 favourite on his previous run and now makes the step into class one company here and this is a tougher test.

Hardy Du Seuil has had just the three runs over hurdles in the UK, finishing fifth of five at Ffos Las, third of 12 at Wetherby before winning on his last outing at Sandown over this trip in a class two handicap, beating Iceo by three lengths.

He won well there, beating the Paul Nicholls trained horse and was good over fences prior to his hurdling switch, so there should be more to come from the six-year-old and he looks a decent price here and might be worth an each-way bet.

Seven-year-old gelding for Dan Skelton who arrives here on the back of a 108-day break, after finishing second over fences at Wetherby last November, losing out to No Risk Des Flos by seven lengths.

Has only finished out of the top three over hurdles twice in his career (first two runs) and has won three class four contests at Taunton, Ludlow and Perth but this is a step up in company and Harry Skelton is onboard Playful Saint so Tristan Durrell takes the reigns here.

He goes off 129 here and it will be interesting to see how the break has affected him as he was in good form beforehand for Skelton.

Five-year-old French recruit for Tom Symonds who makes his hurdling debut in the UK here, after running over fences last time out at Huntingdon in January, finishing last of the remaining runners.

He won three hurdle contests in France over 2m and 2m 1f, so the drop down in trip and debut over hurdles in England make him harder to back in this field of competitive runners.

Lightly raced hurdler who has performed well over obstacles, with eighth and fifth efforts in top company races so far.

Last time out, he finished fifth in the class one Betfair Hurdle in a 16-runner field after winning a class two handicap at Ascot in November last year.

That followed an eighth-place finish in this race last year, at grade three level. He also boasts a couple of class four victories in his career but looks better placed here after winning the class two at Ascot and then finishing a decent fifth in the Betfair Hurdle last time out.

He could be one to watch with that improved form, as Ben Jones is booked to ride by Philip Hobbs.

Man O Work has had an indifferent start to life over hurdles for Paul Fahey, winning at Naas and Limerick but falling at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown most recently, where Gaelic Warrior won by three and three quarter lengths.

Has tended to run in graded company but has not yet turned that into good form, with his last win coming in the BetVictor Hurdle at Limerick last March.

Has since struggled but the five-year-old is open to improvement but needs to start doing so. There are others in better form for this contest.

Inexperienced five-year-old who has made a decent start to life over hurdles in England for Paul Nicholls following a debut victory in Dieppe in August 2021.

Has since ran four times for Nicholls, recording finishes of first, fourth, fourth and second on reappearance at Sandown in January this year in a class two handicap contest won by Hardy Du Seuil by three lengths.

Has also ran well in graded company at Cheltenham and Kempton, finishing fourth both times amongst strong runners and there’s no reason why he can’t go well here with Harry Cobden on board.

Lightly raced six-year-old for Charlie Longsdon who has the four career runs over obstacles so far. He won easily on debut at Ludlow in November last year before finishing third at the same course and then winning at Huntingdon.

He followed that with a step up to class one company where Mares Novice Hurdle favourite Luccia romped home as he finished fifth of six at 11/2 third favourite.

Sam Twiston-Davies is booked to ride him here looking to bounce back from that run, off a mark of 121.

Five-year-old for Venetia Williams who has had just the four career runs over hurdles, finishing first on debut at Exeter and then second at Haydock ten days later in November last year. Followed that with a third at Sandown in January behind fellow runners Iceo and Hardy Du Seuil before stepping up to class two company last time out at Ascot last month, finishing tenth of 12.

That was a disappointing performance after early promise in his career, but his mark hasn’t dropped and Venetia Williams will be hoping for a better run here, keeping him in better company rather than dropping down in class so must be hopeful of a big run.