The Imperial Cup at Sandown remains a significant race in the National Hunt season despite its position just before Cheltenham. Matty Sutcliffe has previewed the race, and given his 1-2-3 selections.
BO ZENITH
(Nico De Boinville/Nicky Henderson)
Nicky Henderson has won this historical contest just once since its inception in 1907, coming with Dave’s Dream in 2009 under Barry Geraghty. Now in the hands of Seven Barrows, Zarak gelding Bo Zenith looks primed to put a stop to his Imperial Cup rut, having worked his way back to form of late since returning from a layoff of 610 days. Prior to return this season, he was last seen finishing second to Zenta in the G1 Anniversary 4yo Hurdle for Gary Moore having won cosily the last twice.
No one could get near to the runaway winner Mirabad in the Catesby Estates Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in December as the runaway winner pulled his way into the lead and never saw another rival, but Bo Zenith caught the eye strongly coming home strongly having still been in rear on the turn, unsurprisingly clocking the quickest final furlong by some way. Better could’ve been expected when 5/2F for the Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle at Ascot when beaten seven lengths, but he was giving plenty of weight away and having been outpaced three out, he stuck to his task well on the unfavourable far side of the track, perhaps not quite staying the 2m3f. The drop back to two miles on a stiff track should suit in that respect, and on the balance of his Cheltenham run, he looks a winner in waiting.
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LUMP SUM
(Dylan Johnston/Sam Thomas)
Sam Thomas has developed a habit of throwing up winners of these premier handicaps with the likes of Al Dancer taking the Badger Beers and Katate Dori landing the Ladbrokes Trophy, and Lump Sum has to be considered off the back of his eight length second to Joyeuse in what was the Betfair Hurdle earlier last month. The Authorized gelding was no match for the Henderson mare, who’s been supplemented for the Mares Hurdle next week, but he was comfortably best of the rest, for all a subsequent 3lbs rise looked harsh. He has the burden of top weight to contend with once more, but his for this season stacks up nicely given he won the Welsh Champion Hurdle on seasonal debut and subsequently finished an eight length second to Sir Gino in the Fighting Fifth. The handicapper looks to have his measure for now, and he’ll have another tough task giving at least 5lbs to the field.
GO DANTE
(Sean Bowen/Olly Murphy)
Last year’s winner Go Dante has been out of sorts since his nose success here, but he’s worked his way down to 2lbs below that mark as a result and last time out was an inkling that there may be another big pot in him yet. He made good headway from rear and had to swerve the falling Secret Squirrel, halting momentum in the progress, and he was only eight lengths behind the second who was better positioned toward the latter stages of the contest.
He was only beaten five lengths in the Welsh Champion Hurdle o a 7lbs higher mark on seasonal debut, and he has a 15lbs swing in the weights with Lump Sum on that evidence. Whether he’s been to the well one too many times remains a query, but there’s no denying he’s thrown in off his lowest mark in handicaps since winning the Catesby Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham off 125 in 2023 and he can’t be discounted provided the ground has enough soft in it for him.
REST OF THE FIELD
Batman Girac has been a disappointment for the Mullins camp thus far, beaten 59L on yard debut at 7/4F before failing to live up to expectations in last season’s Fred Winter. He wasn’t entirely disgraced behind Kargese on his final start last season though, and there was certainly some promise last time out when staying on strongly at Leopardstown behind McLaurey, picking his way through the field on the bridle before getting the last wrong and taking a tumbling fall. Given the distance of Storm Heart to the winner, it’s plausible to suggest he could’ve gone close himself there but he has to prove welfare after a fall, and outside of Cheltenham, Mullins is hardly one to follow in these British premier handicaps.
Wreckless Eric was another to fare well in rear behind Mirabad in that runaway Cheltenham success, though failing to land favouritism under Kielan Woods. The Masterstroke gelding ran another strong race in the Sovereign Handicap Hurdle at Windsor behind Secret Squirrel, who was possibly booked for third before falling last time out, with that spot instead filled by Navajo Indy who was half a length in front of Wreckless Eric at Windsor. That race has thrown up the Morebattle winner in Cracking Rhapsody, and the form will likely prove strong throughout the rest of the season.
Afadil couldn’t land back to back Scottish Champion Hurdles last time out, but he was evidently saved for that contest all season and if stepping up once more, then he could be a player for Paul Nicholls who’s won two of the last five renewals of this contest, albeit with Cobden in the saddle.
Ooh Betty can’t be discounted having run a huge race behind Take No Chances and Kargese at Ascot in G2 company last time out, with that pair lining up at Cheltenham next week. She’s 2/2 in handicaps going right handed this season including once over C&D from a subsequent winner in second, and she was four lengths ahead of Hansard at Kempton on her penultimate start, who ran a huge race to finished third to Golden Ace and Burdett Road in the G2 Kingwell last time out. She arrives on the back of two career best efforts, for all her prominent style of racing would be a negative given the last eight winners of this race were generally held up throughout.
Spirits Bay has threatened to land a pot of this nature in the past, having been another eyecatcher behind Mirabad at Cheltenham and clocking the highest Race IQ jumping index of 8.4/10 in that contest, gaining 3.66 lengths in his jumping over the field. He folded tamely at Haydock next time out when looking the likeliest winner up the straight, but he put up a solid effort behind Constitution Hill in the G2 Unibet Hurdle last time out when beaten five lengths, and given he was only two lengths behind the 141 rated Brentford Hope, the handicapper has been incredibly generous in not putting up his mark. He was second best in the jumping department again behind Constitution Hill with an index of 8.4/10, and he clocked the highest speed of 35.28mph in that contest too, for all the winner was hardly pushed out.
VERDICT
Nigel Twiston-Davies has won this contest twice in the last eight renewals, and Spirits Bay has to come good o 125 soon enough with Sam Twiston Davies taking over from regular rider Jordan Nailor for the first time. His record right handed reads 1211 as opposed to 13F5533, and he fared well in second on his sole course start here. He’ll be suited to the way this race typically pans out and given he’s held both County and Coral Cup entries since they came out, they evidently rate him quite highly – unsurprisingly given how excellent his jumping is.
2025 Imperial Cup Predicted 1-2-3
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