14:25 Sandown

Saturday 8 March 2025

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

Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:26 | Winning time: 4m 0.0s

1^st

Go Dante

910-8

6/1

T: O MurphyJ: S Bowen

Mid-division out wide, good headway chasing leaders before 2 out, went 2nd run-in, stayed on strongly run-in, driven ahead towards finish op 13/2

2^nd

Wreckless Eric

510-8

7/1

T: J & A O'NeillJ: Kielan Woods

Chased leaders pushed along and headway on inside from 2 out, only 6th when mistake last, strong run between horses final 110 yards, hung right and hampered rival towards finish, went 2nd post op 8/1

3^rd

Afadil

610-3

8/1

T: P F NichollsJ: Freddie Gingell (3)

Chased leaders, led before last, ridden and stayed on run-in, headed towards finish, lost 2nd post op 5/1

4^th

Tintintin

610-5

18/1

T: F O'BrienJ: J J Burke

Held up towards rear, headway chasing leaders between last two, stayed on run-in, went held 4th towards finish tchd 20/1

5^th

Knickerbockerglory

911-6

16/1

T: D SkeltonJ: Harry Skelton

Led, pushed along and strongly pressed before 2 out, headed before the last, lost 2nd run-in, 4th and held when hampered and snatched up towards finish op 14/1 tchd 18/1

6^th

1 ¾

To Chase A Dream

610-9

18/1

T: Paul CollinsJ: B S Hughes

Soon off the pace towards rear, headway out wide last, ridden and stayed on run-in, never going pace to get involved op 25/1

7^th

1 ¼

Spirits Bay

710-6

11/1

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

Towards rear inside, headway chasing leaders between last two, weakened run-in op 15/2

8^th

We're Red And Blue

510-2

28/1

T: J & A O'NeillJ: R P McLernon

Chased leader, pushed along before 2 out, ridden between last two, lost 2nd soon after, weakened run-in op 25/1

9^th

Sorceleur

510-2

16/1

T: P F NichollsJ: H Cobden

Off the pace in rear, plugged on run-in, never involved

10^th

Big Ginge

510-2

28/1

T: N & W Twiston-DaviesJ: Mr Jamie Neild (7)

Raced keenly towards rear, never threatened op 33/1

11^th

3 ½

Ooh Betty

710-13

8/1

T: Ben ClarkeJ: Ben Jones

Mid-division, ridden and outpaced before 2 out, soon weakened op 9/1 tchd 10/1

12^th

Tapley

810-2

66/1

T: Miss S SmithJ: Elizabeth Gale (7)

Never closer than mid-division op 50/1

13^th

Bo Zenith

611-4

5/1f

T: N J HendersonJ: N de Boinville

Held up off the pace in rear, never a factor op 6/1

14^th

1 ¾

Hardy Du Seuil

810-10

18/1

T: Jamie SnowdenJ: William Featherstone (7)

Chased leaders out wide, pushed along and hit 2 out, soon ridden, weakened quickly between last two, mistake last op 20/1 and tchd 22/1

15^th

Lump Sum

712-0

8/1

T: S ThomasJ: Dylan Johnston (3)

Held up in mid-division, pushed along and outpaced before 2 out, weakened soon after op 15/2

16^th

3 ½

King William Rufus

810-2

25/1

T: C GordonJ: Rex Dingle

Chased leaders, mistake and weakened 2 out op 28/1

17^th

Batman Girac

511-2

22/1

T: W P MullinsJ: J J Slevin

Off the pace in rear-division, jumped slowly 3rd, never a factor, well tailed off op 16/1

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Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£7.00Pl:£2.10, £2.20, £2.60, £4.60EX:£72.80Trifecta:£916.70Tricast:£354.82SF:£48.07Swingers:£12.80, £6.90, £16.20

Forecasts

Bo Zenith (5/1), Go Dante (6/1), Wreckless Eric (7/1), Afadil (8/1), Ooh Betty (8/1), Lump Sum (8/1), Spirits Bay (11/1), Knickerbockerglory (16/1), Sorceleur (16/1), Tintintin (18/1), To Chase A Dream (18/1), Hardy Du Seuil (18/1), Batman Girac (22/1), King William Rufus (25/1), We're Red And Blue (28/1), Big Ginge (28/1), Tapley (66/1)

The answer to this pre-Cheltenham Festival puzzle could be AFADIL, who is 8 lb lower compared to when finishing fifth in the County Hurdle at last season's Festival and he arrives here on the back of a solid effort in the Scottish equivalent of that valuable handicap at Musselburgh. Go Dante is also on a good mark (now 2 lb lower than when winning this 12 months ago) and he is feared most ahead of Spirits Bay, while cases can also be made for the likes of Batman Girac, Bo Zenith and Lump Sum.

AFADIL (FR)
GO DANTE
SPIRITS BAY

Previous Winners

2024

Go Dante

Weight: 11-4 |Age: 8

J: S Bowen | T: O Murphy

5/1

Prize Money

1st: £51,440.002nd: £23,650.003rd: £11,830.004th: £5,910.005th: £2,960.006th: £1,470.007th: £740.008th: £370.00

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