14:25 Sandown

Saturday 13 March 2021

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:45

Paddy Power Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 4m 14.85s

Miranda⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Angus Cheleda⁽⁷⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 146| D

11/2

Ex-French recruit who has made up into very useful 2m hurdler for current yard, winning Ludlow handicap and Doncaster Grade 2 this winter. Really smart effort needed under top weight, though.

Form: 813-141

Fransham¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Kielan Woods| T: Mrs P Sly| OR: 142| D

18/1

Better than ever this season, recording back-to-back 2m handicap victories at Wetherby to end 2020. Good efforts in defeat twice since and strong-travelling style should be suited to a race like this.

Form: 5-51132

Mick Maestro²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: C J Todd⁽³⁾| T: N Kent| OR: 135| BF| D

12/1

Much improved this term for new yard, readily winning over 2m at Doncaster and Catterick. Shaped as if still in top form when third off this mark at Market Rasen latest, bang there until mistake last.

Form: 3/31F13

Malaya^t²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 134| CD

7/1

Won this race in 2019. More miss than hit since but is now 2 lb below that successful mark of 2 years ago. No surprise were she to go well.

Form: 02-2748

Miss Heritage²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: R Johnson| T: L Wadham| OR: 133| D

8/1

Dual winner last term and gained reward for a string of consistent efforts at Warwick last month. Another creditable effort when pipping Mick Maestro for second at Market Rasen 3 weeks ago.

Form: 922212

Natural History¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 132| D

2/1

Smart on Flat. Beaten at short odds on first 2 hurdle starts but different proposition when hacking up in Plumpton handicap 12 days ago. Raised 16 lb but remains with handicapping scope on Flat form.

Form: 221

Langer Dan²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 130| D

5/1

Useful juvenile last term. Caught the eye on first run back after wind surgery when keeping on from well off the pace to finish fourth behind a couple of these at Market Rasen recently. Interesting.

Form: 226-954

Mack The Man²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: James Bowen| T: Evan Williams| OR: 128| CD

12/1

Won C&D listed handicap last winter. Back on the up returned to hurdles when winning in small field at Wincanton in January but well beaten in Betfair Hurdle at Newbury since. Others preferred.

Form: 1B-2510

Hasanabad^t⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: S Bowen| T: Ian Williams| OR: 121| D

12/1

Useful on Flat and made winning hurdle debut at Southwell (2m) in September. Has matched that form in defeat since, finishing 2¼ lengths behind Highway One O Two when third in Newbury handicap latest.

Form: 1333

Non-Runners

Diego Du Charmil⁷⁷

Weight: 11-11| Age: 9

T: P F Nicholls J: H Cobden

Leoncavallo¹⁵⁴

Weight: 11-8| Age: 9

T: D Pipe J: T Scudamore

Highway One O Two⁷

Weight: 11-3| Age: 6

T: C Gordon J: Tom Cannon

One True King²¹

Weight: 10-11| Age: 6

T: N & W Twiston-Davies J: Sam Twiston-Davies

Hang In There⁷⁶

Weight: 10-11| Age: 7

T: Miss E C Lavelle J: Thomas Bellamy

Eamon An Cnoic¹⁶

Weight: 10-6| Age: 10

T: D Pipe J: Fergus Gillard

Forecasts

Natural History (2/1), Langer Dan (5/1), Miranda (11/2), Malaya (7/1), Miss Heritage (8/1), Leoncavallo (8/1), Highway One O Two (10/1), Mack The Man (12/1), Hasanabad (12/1), Mick Maestro (12/1), One True King (14/1), Eamon An Cnoic (14/1), Diego Du Charmil (16/1), Fransham (18/1), Hang In There (25/1)

LANGER DAN was an eyecatcher on his first run back after wind surgery and might be worth siding with for in-form Dan Skelton as he's well treated on the pick of last season's efforts. This is much harder than the Plumpton handicap Natural History hacked up in recently but he has the scope for a good deal better given his Flat ability. Leoncavallo and One True King are also on the shortlist.