Brace for Eric to land Imperial Cup
SANDOWN’s Imperial Cup (2.27pm) always marks the final Saturday before the Cheltenham Festival.
The feature race has a £100,000 bonus in place for the winner if they can go on to win any race at Prestbury Park the following week.
Langer Dan has got closest in recent years, finishing second to none other than Galopin Des Champs in the 2021 Martin Pipe following his win at Sandown, and you have to go back to Gaspara in 2007 for the last horse to achieve the feat.
Nicky Henderson’s Khrisma could have a chance this year, as the favourite for this race and currently second in the market for the William Hill County Hurdle on Friday next week.
She looks potentially very well treated on handicap debut off an opening mark of 128 and is the one to beat here, but she is certainly a skinny enough price at 4/1.
I’d rather look further down the market to hunt out a bit of value in what is a competitive race.
WRECKLESS ERIC was second in this contest 12 months ago off a mark of 127 and lines up here three pounds lower in the weights.
He has run consistently well in three starts this season, and is better than his finishing position suggests on his last two runs in the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton and William Hill Hurdle at Newbury.
The ground at Newbury would probably have been too heavy for him and with the conditions drying out ahead of the weekend, it should be more suitable at Sandown.
Now the handicapper has cut him some slack, if he can produce another consistent effort he could be right there with a chance, so 10/1 each-way looks too good to ignore.
Dan Skelton is such a good target trainer of these valuable handicaps and his five-year-old BRACE FOR LANDING is also of interest each way at 16/1.
He’s very lightly raced, having only had three runs for the stable since leaving Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm and looks a well-handicapped horse off a mark of 118.
Last time out he travelled much better when wearing cheekpieces for the first time, finishing fifth over this course and distance in January.
That form looks reasonably strong and he could build on that now.
We’ve another two darts to fire in the earlier National Hunt Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final (1.50pm).
UNKNOWN ENTITY has yet to win a race in five starts under rules, but has placed on four of those outings, including twice since joining the Skelton yard from Willie Mullins.
First time up for the Skeltons he finished third in a strong race at Ludlow and then went down by only a head to a good rival in Gaelic Pride at Wincanton.
He stayed on well there and looks to be crying out for this step up to two-and-a-half miles, so off a mark of 120 he should go really well and is worth adding to Saturday’s ante-post portfolio at 7/1.
The form of the previously mentioned Ludlow race provides the rationale for also playing David Pipe’s BRAS D’OR.
He finished eight lengths ahead of Unknown Entity at the Shropshire track when carrying level weights and lines up here off a mark of 114, making him six pounds better off with the Skelton horse.
The fact he is double the price at 14/1, makes him look excellent value.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Unknown Entity e/w 1.50pm Sandown
Bras d’Or e/w 1.50pm Sandown
Wreckless Eric e/w 2.27pm Sandown
Brace For Landing e/w 2.27pm Sandown