Racecards
14:25 Sandown Park
Paddy Power Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) (Class 1)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 1m 7f 216y
- Going: Soft (Heavy in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £50,000 added
- Winner: £28,230
- 2nd: £10,645
- 3rd: £5,320
- 4th: £2,655
- Form 813-141
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 146
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Angus Cheleda
tracked leaders on inside, pushed along before 2 out, weakened soon after
- Form 5-51132
- Age 7
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 142
- Trainer Mrs P Sly
- Jockey Kielan Woods
waited with in rear, never involved
- Form 3/31F13
- Age 8
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 135
mid-division when rein broke and taken out of race after 2nd, pulled up
- Form 02-2748
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 134
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey H Cobden
chased leaders on inside, not much room on inside and weakened rapidly soon after 3 out, tailed off and pulled up before next
- Form 922212
- Age 7
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 133
tracked leader, led narrowly 3 out, kept on well, joined and not fluent last, headed and not pace of winner run-in
- Form 221
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 132
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey J E Moore
raced keenly, led, narrowly headed but still held together 3 out, weakened rapidly before next
- Form 226-954
- Age 5
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer D Skelton
- Jockey Harry Skelton
held up in last pair, dropped to rear 3 out, urged along briefly soon after, steady headway between horses before 2 out, went 2nd on bit after 2 out, upsides last, led run-in, quickened right away
- Form 1B-2510
- Age 7
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 128
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey James Bowen
chased leaders in 4th, headway into 2nd going well before 2 out until after 2 out, plugged on in 3rd
- Form 1333
- Age 6
- Weight 10-1
- Official Rating 121
- Trainer Ian Williams
- Jockey S Bowen
held up in last trio, headway on inside before 2 out, plugging on in 4th when bad mistake last
- Form 122-335
- Age 9
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 145
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey H Cobden
NonRunner
- Form 1-FU602
- Age 6
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 137
- Trainer C Gordon
- Jockey Tom Cannon
NonRunner
- Form 122103
- Age 6
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 131
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies
NonRunner
- Form 5F-6666
- Age 7
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 131
- Trainer Miss E C Lavelle
- Jockey Thomas Bellamy
NonRunner
- Form U-76212
- Age 10
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 126
- Trainer D Pipe
- Jockey Fergus Gillard
NonRunner
In depth
Verdict
Eamon An Cnoic came up against a progressive novice at Chepstow after winning easily over track and trip and this race has been good to the Pipe stable down the years. Paul Nicholls won this with Malaya when it was last run in 2019 and she is joined this year by stablemates Diego Du Charmil and Miranda. The latter won a mares’ Grade 2 at Doncaster six weeks ago but shoulders top weight less Angus Cheleda’s claim. A 12lb rise in the weights proved too much for Mick Maestro at Market Rasen and he finished behind the consistent Miss Heritage but ahead of Langer Dan. Natural History finally came good at Plumpton and there is scope for further improvement while Fransham has graduated to another level this season. Hang In There has slipped to a potentially-lenient mark and has had a break but ONE TRUE KING is very interesting back over 2m and on a better surface. He would have finished much closer at Ascot three weeks ago had he not blundered two out.
Formwatch
Miranda (IRE) 3-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders, 2nd before 3 out, led travelling well before last, came readily clear run -in, easily, won at Doncaster 2m 1f (1) sft in Jan beating Floressa (11-4) by 4 1/4l, 6 ran.
Fransham 9-2 (11-10) Chased leaders, mistake 3 out, went 2nd before 2 out, led well before jumping left last, ridden and pressed flat, headed towards finish, 2nd of 6, 1/2l behind Hooligan (11-3) at Newcastle 2m hcp (2) sft in Feb.
Mick Maestro (FR) 7-2cfav (11-8) Raced in 3rd out wide, went 2nd on long run before 2 out, ridden between last 2, trying to close when mistake last, no impression when weakened and lost 2nd final 100 yards, 3rd of 7, 3 1/4l behind Ajero (11-2) at Market Rasen 2m 1f hcp (3) sft in Feb.
Malaya (FR) 11-1 (10-12) Held up towards rear, never involved, 8th of 15, 23 3/4l behind Shannon Bridge (10-9) at Ascot 2m 3f hcp (2) sft in Feb.
Miss Heritage (IRE) 5-1 (11-5) Held up in touch, badly outpaced after 3 out, rallied before next, went 2nd final 100 yards, never going pace to reach winner, 2nd of 7, 2l behind Ajero (11-2) at Market Rasen 2m 1f hcp (3) sft in Feb.
Natural History 8-13fav (11-5) Made all, quickened clear 2 out, comfortable, won at Plumpton 2m hcp (3) gd in Mar beating Mystic Dreamer (11-5) by 15l, 5 ran.
Langer Dan (IRE) 9-1 (11-4) Raced out wide, always in rear, 6th and struggling after 3 out, plugged on in modest 4th run-in, 4th of 7, 6 1/2l behind Ajero (11-2) at Market Rasen 2m 1f hcp (3) sft in Feb.
Mack The Man (IRE) 40-1 (10-6) Always in rear, 20th of 23, dist behind Soaring Glory (10-7) at Newbury 2m hcp (1) gs in Feb.
Hasanabad (IRE) 18-1 (10-8) Raced keenly in mid-division, headway chasing leaders 4 out, left in 2nd on bend after 4 out, dropped to 3rd before 2 out, plugged on, 3rd of 10, 12 1/4l behind Millers Bank (11-9) at Newbury 2m hcp (3) gd in Mar.
Diego Du Charmil (FR) 50-1 (11-7) Held up last, good headway into 3rd before 3 out, weakened quickly before next, last of 5, dist behind Silver Streak (11-7) at Kempton 2m (1) gs in Dec.
Leoncavallo (IRE) 12-1 (8-3) Prominent, joined leaders 4f out, ridden and every chance 2f out, no extra inside final furlong, 6th of 34, 9 1/4l behind Great White Shark (8-6) at Newmarket 2m 2f hcp (2) sft in Oct.
Highway One O Two (IRE) 18-1 (11-9) Chased leader who went clear before 2nd, closer when left in lead on bend after 4 out, headed 2 out, stayed on same pace and no chance with easy winner, 2nd of 10, 10l behind Millers Bank (11-9) at Newbury 2m hcp (3) gd in Mar.
One True King (IRE) 10-3 (11-8) Led, pushed along and joined when bad mistake and headed 2 out, dropped to 3rd and not recover, 3rd of 6, 11 1/2l behind Midnight River (11-8) at Ascot 2m 3f (2) sft in Feb.
Hang In There (IRE) 5-1 (11-6) Prominent, mistake 2nd and 5th, led before 2 out, soon headed, weakened from last, 6th of 13, 10 3/4l behind Cadzand (11-1) at Kempton 2m hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Eamon An Cnoic (IRE) 5-6fav (10-11) Led, edged right 2nd, ridden and headed before not fluent last, held flat, stayed on, 2nd of 5, 2 1/4l behind Grumpy Charley (11-12) at Chepstow 2m hcp (3) sft in Feb.