Views from connections - Imperial Cup
David Pipe is double-handed in a bid to extend his family’s excellent record in the Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown.
His father Martin saddled six winners of the traditional feature on the Saturday before the Cheltenham Festival, while David himself has struck gold on three occasions since.
Sponsors Paddy Power are this year offering a £50,000 bonus if the winner can follow up in any race at Cheltenham next week, a double which has been achieved on just three occasions since the incentive has been up for grabs – and all by horses trained at the Pipes’ Pond House yard.
Pipe senior saddled Olympian to win the Imperial Cup-Coral Cup double in 1993, while five years later Blowing Wind followed up success at Sandown with victory in the County Hurdle.
Gaspara landed the bonus pot for David Pipe in 2007 by winning what is now the Boodles Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham.
This year he fires a twin assault, with Leoncavallo of particular interest on what is his first competitive appearance since finishing sixth in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket in October.
“Leoncavallo has done very well on the Flat for us, and has had a break since the Cesarewitch,” said Pipe.
“He’s in good form and won’t mind the (good to soft) ground. Hopefully he’s got a decent each-way chance.
“He’s got some good form in two-mile handicaps, and it looks an open contest on Saturday. He’ll be left in at Cheltenham, and we’ll see what happens this weekend.”
The nine-year-old is joined by stablemate Eamon An Cnoic, who won over the course and distance last month before filling the runner-up spot at Chepstow a week later.
Pipe added: “He’s 10 years old and is not getting any younger. He’s got decent form round Sandown. He would probably prefer softer ground, but takes his chance.”
The likely favourite for the £50,000 contest is Natural History, but trainer Gary Moore is far from confident about his chances.
The Nathaniel gelding claimed the notable scalp of Moore’s Champion Hurdle hope Goshen on the Flat in October, when trained by Andrew Balding and owned by the Queen, before changing hands for 105,000 guineas later that month.
He was beaten on his first two hurdling starts, but bolted up on his handicap debut at Plumpton recently – and is 16lb higher in the weights as a result.
When told his charge was the clear favourite for the Imperial Cup, Moore said: “I think it’s total madness.
“He’s gone up 16lb for a winning a small race at Plumpton. He probably went into it well handicapped, but he’s come out of it badly handicapped as far as I’m concerned.
“I think it will be a tough ask for him on only his fourth run over hurdles. I hope I’m wrong, but I wouldn’t be backing him at 3/1 anyway.”
Langer Dan is well fancied for the formidable combination of Dan and Harry Skelton.
Dan Skelton said: “Langer Dan ran well at Market Rasen the last day and is probably one of those horses that as a second-season hurdler, going from juveniles and novices, has just taken a while to find his feet.
“I think Sandown will really suit him, because he wants a stiff finish and he didn’t have that at Market Rasen. I’m not saying he is going to win, but he goes there in good health and should run well.”
Paul Nicholls saddles top-weight Miranda, as well as Diego Du Charmil and Malaya, winner of the race two years ago.
He told Betfair: “Miranda looked very good when winning a Grade Two mares’ hurdle at Doncaster at the end of January but keeps going up in the weights, so the 7lb claim of Angus Cheleda will certainly help. I expect her to run another solid race.
“Diego Du Charmil is talented and versatile, and did a lovely piece of work at Wincanton last week. He goes well fresh and is in good order.
“I have to admit Malaya was a bit disappointing last time at Ascot, where I felt the step up in trip would be in her favour. But after watching her that day, I am not convinced that is the case.
“While Malaya can be a bit in and out, she won this race two years ago, so we know the track suits her well – and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her bounce back to form.”
View from connections - EBF Final
Karl Philippe bids to provide Fergal O’Brien with another big-race victory in the EBF Final at Sandown.
The Gloucestershire-based trainer is enjoying an excellent campaign, highlighted by the Grade Two triumphs of Hurricane Harvey, Silver Hallmark and Alaphilippe.
Before saddling likely Pertemps Final favourite Imperial Alcazar at next week’s Cheltenham Festival, O’Brien is first out to strike Grade Three gold on Saturday with Karl Philippe – who made it third time lucky over hurdles with a 10-length success at Exeter last month.
O’Brien said: “I hope he goes there with a good chance. He’s in good form.
“He was placed in his first two hurdles over two miles – and as soon as we stepped him up in trip and rode him a bit more forward, he proved the shorter trip was the problem.
“We’re looking forward to running him on Saturday and seeing how he gets on.
“It’s very competitive, but we’ll go there and take our chance.”
David Pipe saddles top-weight Martinhal, who beat Karl Philippe by half a length in January and followed up last time.
“He’s won his last two, and the step up in trip should suit,” said the Pond House trainer.
“Like a lot of these horses, all his form has been on softer ground.
“It’s difficult to win a race like this off top-weight, but we’re hoping he has an each-way chance.”
Colin Tizzard is confident that Striking A Pose can continue his progression in the race.
After following up his debut victory over hurdles at Wincanton with a comfortable success under a penalty at Exeter last time out the lightly raced five year old will attempt to take his form to new levels when stepping up to Grade Three company for the first time on Saturday.
Tizzard said: “He has won his last two and he couldn’t have won any easier at Exeter where he never even came off the bridle, though it wasn’t the strongest of races.
“I love running horses at Cheltenham just in case they are better than what you think. He is off 130 so if we thought he was good enough to go Cheltenham, where we had him in the Albert Bartlett, then he is good enough to win this one.
“He was green as grass at Newton Abbot first time out this season but he had only run once before. He is a beautiful horse on the gallops. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was in the shake-up.
“If he is good enough he could go to Aintree but we need to find how good he is and this is a step up again and it is a completely different job to the one at Exeter.”
Sam Barton finished two places ahead of Road Senam at Doncaster last time out when opening his account over hurdles and trainer Emma Lavelle expects to see further improvement from the six year old.
Lavelle said: “Sam Barton is a lovely horse that is clearly going to be a chaser going forward. The race at Doncaster has worked out well and he has come on for that mentally and physically and is in good form. He has got the right profile for this race.
“I was impressed how easily he travelled through the race. Though he was clearly green when he got to the front I loved how he went about it through the race. The track should be fine for him as it is a big galloping track like Doncaster.”
The Paul Nicholls-trained Rainyday Woman sets the standard in the first of two Listed races on the card – the British Stallion Studs EBF Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
The daughter of Kayf Tara bolted up on her debut for the Ditcheat handler at Stratford in November, before following up in Listed company at Huntingdon the following month.
“She has done nothing but please since she joined us in the summer, winning stylishly at Stratford before following up in a Listed mares’ bumper at Huntingdon just before Christmas,” Nicholls told Betfair.
“Rainyday Woman has a 4lb penalty in a hot looking race, and any further rain at Sandown would be in her favour.”
Rainyday Woman is re-opposed by Kim Bailey’s Huntingdon runner-up Flirtatious Girl, while the dangers include Henderson’s Tweed Skirt.
Listed honours are also up for grabs in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Novices’ Handicap Chase – a race which has been switched to Sandown from the Cheltenham Festival.
High Up In The Air has won his last five races for Gary Moore, who said: “This is a massive jump up in class.
“He just needed that first run over fences at the start of the season, while he loves soft ground and was well handicapped.
“He is a very good jumper, and that has helped him. He has won here before, but that was over shorter, and I think the extra few furlongs will suit him.”
Evan Williams is looking forward to saddling Annsam, who was slapped with a 12lb rise for a 42-length win at Ludlow in December.
“He’s a raw horse. The handicapper absolutely hoofed him up for winning a bad race last time, (but) I’d be pretty keen to give it a crack,” said the Welsh trainer.
“He went up 12lb for winning what in effect was a ‘nothing’ race, having a school round.
“The handicapper is right 99 per cent of the time, so I hope he is right.
“Annsam is a nice horse, (but) he’s a raw horse.”
