Nic Doggett provides an overview of the key things to note on Saturday.
Imperial Cup impact at Cheltenham
The Betfair Imperial Cup (2.25) always used to be seen as one of the key races for final pointers on the eve of the Cheltenham Festival, with the bonus for winning the Sandown contest and any race at the festival offered intermittently over the years.
Having said that, the last horse to achieve the feat was the Fred Winter-winning mare Gaspara back in 2007, with Langer Dan (2021, went on to be second to the rather good Galopin Des Champs in the Martin Pipe) and Suprise Package (2022, good sixth in the County Hurdle) the only winners over the last five years to turn up the following week.
The good news for stable accountants is that the bonus is on offer this term with last year’s winner Go Dante – tipped up by Andrew Asquith earlier in the week – back to defend his crown on the back of a solid run in defeat in the Betfair Hurdle last time.
Leading contenders this year include Batman Girac, who was in the process of running well behind McLaurey when falling, and Betfair Hurdle runner-up Lump Sum, both of whom are in the County Hurdle.
Scottish County Hurdle runner-up Afadil is also in the same race next week, along with Ooh Betty, while Spirits Bay, who chased home Constitution Hill in the International Hurdle, has an entry in the Coral Cup.
That’s also the case for current market leader Bo Zenith, who also has the Martin Pipe as an option. Only beaten a nose in an Aintree Grade 1 as a juvenile, he was well-fancied when fifth to Alobelli at Ascot in January but hasn’t been with Nicky Henderson for long and he has a good staying pedigree; this mark looks achievable, and a big run is expected given his season appears to have been built around these big spring handicaps.
Could he be the latest to land the double?
History repeating or Charisma to purr once more?
A quick glance at the Timeform racecard for the British Stallion Studs EBF Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (3.00) and the list of recent winners reveals that five-year-old mares have dominated this listed contest, winning nine of the 14 renewals, and five of the last six.
The market is led by Charisma Cat, a daughter of a French Group 1 winner, who probably should have won when a neck second to Kingston Queen in a listed event at Market Rasen last time, just failing having been shuffled back on inner end of back straight.
She could be a tough nut to crack with conditions again in her favour, but she faces some interesting rivals, including Dream Shadow, who was well-backed when one two and a half lengths behind Charisma Cat at Market Rasen, and impressive Uttoxeter debut winner A Path To Ronda who is a half-sister to Simonsig.
However, it’s also worth paying plenty of attention to Supreme Malinas despite her penalty for winning a listed race at Huntingdon in December.
She was outpaced at a crucial time when only third at Windsor in January, but should be suited by this stiffer finish and she represents last year’s winning trainer/jockey/owner combination who struck with the well-supported 3/1 favourite Honky Tonk Highway who has since added another course win over hurdles; a big run is expected from her year-younger stablemate.
Russell expected to enjoy another weekend trip to Ayr
Wolverhampton’s return to the big screen indicates that the Flat season isn’t far away – indeed, Kingdom Come bids for back-to-back wins in the BetMGM Lincoln Trial Handicap (2.45) before ‘Horse In Focus’ Jabaara bids to win the listed BetMGM Lady Wulfruna Stakes at 3.20 - but I’m focusing on the jumps still, for all I can’t form a strong view in Hereford’s sole ITV race on Saturday, the DragonBet Backing Our Opinion At Cheltenham Handicap Chase (2.00).
That’s not the case away from the terrestrial TV cameras, however, with Lucinda Russell fancied to enjoy another Saturday at Ayr. She has a profitable 18% strike-rate at the course over the last five seasons and enjoyed three winners on this card 12 months ago, one more than each of Nick Alexander and Mike Smith.
She has won the last two renewals of the opening novices’ hurdle (1.42), with Giovinco and Cheltenham Festival-bound Whistle Stop Tour, so expect bold performances from both Jupiter Des Mottes and King Of Answers in this year’s race.
However, I’m more interested in Heads Or Harps in the following handicap chase at 2.17. He paid the price for losing momentum at the final fence when out-pointed close home by the well-treated Konfusion at Wetherby last month but there is a longer run-in after the last here.
A strong travelling ‘Horse In Focus’, connections will be hoping that Dance Thief – one of Smith’s winners on this card 12 months ago – Stylish Recruit, and Chapel Green help force a strong enough pace to show Heads Or Harps in the best light.
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