Paul Nicholls targets Imperial Cup
We know it's not long until the start of the Cheltenham Festival when the name Imperial Cup is mentioned.
Paul Nicholls can warm up for a good Cheltenham festival with a winner at Sandown this afternoon.
San Bruit had his first run in the UK at Doncaster in late January. He is a fine big French chaser who ran much too freely on his stable debut that day. I was impressed by how long he lasted up front before running out of steam halfway up the finishing straight. That run should have knocked the freshness out of him as it was his first run since run in a Grade 2 chase at Auteuil last summer. This is his second run following a wind operation and Paul has applied a hood to help him settle better. He will love the testing ground at Sandown and is ridden by Harry Cobden.
Making Headway has the potential to improve loads but has been well found in the betting market. Instead, Faivoir who did us a huge favour when winning the County hurdle at Chelteham last year comes into this race off the back of a good run in the Betfair Hurdle. He is worth backing each way if you want a second runner onside in the Imperial Cup.
Sandown 2:25
1 point each way San Bruit 13/2 William Hill else 6/1 Skybet, both paying 6 places.
Compare Odds at https://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Past Results
Click to see past Big Saturday Race Preview Tips results
The Imperial Cup is a National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 2 miles (1 mile, 7 furlongs and 216 yards, or 3,215 metres), and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year in March.
The Imperial Cup was first run in 1907, and in its early years it was considered to be the most important hurdle race of the season. A notable winner during this period was Trespasser, who recorded three successive victories in the race from 1920 to 1922. It continued to be the most prestigious hurdling event until the launch of the Champion Hurdle in 1927.
The race is run on a Saturday in March, three days before the start of the Cheltenham Festival. The sponsors of the Imperial Cup have offered a financial bonus prize to the owner of the winning horse since 1992, awarded if the horse goes on to win any race at the following week's Festival. Winners of this bonus have included Olympian (who won the Coral Cup at Cheltenham), Blowing Wind (County Hurdle) and Gaspara (Fred Winter Hurdle). . The 2016 running was unsponsored and no bonus was offered. The bonus returned in 2017 when new sponsors Matchbook offered a £50,000 prize, which they increased to £100,000 for the 2018 running. The race was upgraded from Listed to Grade Three status by the British Horseracing Board from its 2014 running. It was re-classified as a Premier Handicap from the 2023 running when Grade 3 status was renamed by the British Horseracing Authority. Since 2024 it has been run as a Class 2 handicap.
Winners over past 10 years
| Year | Winner | Age | Weight | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Iceo | 5 | 11-03 | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls |
| 2022 | Surprise Package | 5 | 11-01 | James Bowen | Peter Fahey |
| 2021 | Langer Dan | 5 | 10-10 | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton |
| 2020 | Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course | ||||
| 2019 | Malaya | 5 | 10-02 | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls |
| 2018 | Mr Antolini | 8 | 10-01 | Jamie Bargary | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 2017 | London Prize | 6 | 11-02 | Tom O'Brien | Ian Williams |
| 2016 | Flying Angel | 5 | 10-07 | Ryan Hatch | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 2015 | Ebony Express | 6 | 10-07 | Will Kennedy | Dr Richard Newland |
| 2014 | Baltimore Rock | 5 | 10–12 | Tom Scudamore | David Pipe |
Best of Luck,
Nicky