Morning all,

The last weekend before Cheltenham and there’s some good action both over jumps and on the all-weather.

Saturday's feature race is the Paddy Power Imperial Cup (2.25) at Sandown. Back in the day the Imperial Cup was one of the most prestigious handicap hurdles of the jumps season. Since the Cheltenham Festival has become the main obsession of connections the race has lost some of its gloss. There’s £100,000 in guaranteed prize money with £56,270 on offer to the winner. That twice the prize money as 12 months ago so it should attract more than the paltry nine who met the starter last year.

Sandown's seven-race card also includes a Grade 3 novice handicap hurdle final (1.50), a Listed handicap chase (3.35) and a Listed mares' bumper (3.00).

Wolverhampton hosts its most valuable meeting of the year. The highlights being Listed Lady Wulfruna Stakes (2.40) and the Lincoln Trial Handicap (2:05).

The ITV cameras are covering the best of the action from Sandown and Wolverhampton as part of a seven-race programme on Saturday afternoon.

On Sunday big race on Sunday is at Naas, where the highlight is the Leinster National (4:40) so there is plenty to keep us occupied until the tapes go up on the Supreme on Tuesday.

Looking Ahead to the Weekend

The bookies have now priced up the seven ITV races and it’s Saturday’s Imperial Cup that comes under the big race microscope.

Thirty-five were left in the race at Monday’s confirmation stage. So, hopefully we should be looking at a decent sized field on the day. Like last weekend’s Morbattle Hurdle there is a bonus on offer to the winner of the race should they go onto win at next week’s festival.

Sandown

Paddy Power Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) – 2m

Looking at the last 13 renewals of the race there has been an average of 18 runners so last years reduction in prize money clearly impacted on the field size.

For those looking for trends to provide bit of guidance and they do help to thin-out the likely losers from probable winners. Not digging to deeply but there are three that look interesting to me:

All 13 winners had won 1-2 times over hurdles.

Twelve of the last 13 winners carried 10-13 or less.

Twelve of the last 13 winners had run between 16 to 45-days.

Leading Fancies

Last year’s winner and favourite for next week’s Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle Langer Dan is the bookies ante post favourite but he may well go straight to Cheltenham.

Few of the leading contenders for the race meet all the above three trends.

Anyharminasking fails the weights trend but apart from that he holds good claims. The 5-year-old has won his last two starts at and he’s now 10lb higher in the weights in a much better race. There should be more to come from him.

Balco Coastal also fails the weight trend but he’s another who’s going the right way and is 2-3 over hurdles. The drop back to 2m looks a positive and he’s very much in the mix.

Irish raider Suprise Package put in a career best when 2^nd of 18 at Leopardstown two starts. However, he wasn’t seen to best effect when 9^th of 27 back there at the Dublin Racing Festival. A winner of a valuable novice hurdle at last season’s Punchestown Festival over 2m 4f. He might be better over further than 2m but drying ground will suit, as would a strongly run race.

Langer Dan’s stablemate Lucky One is potentially well handicapped on last season’s win at Wincanton. Low key efforts on his first two starts for Dan Skelton. However. he was slightly better when 3^rd of 11 at Ascot last time. Another who should find a strongly two miles ideal.

Add in the improving Mr Grey Sky who his bidding for a hat trick after wins at Leicester & Ludlow. And, recent C&D winner and handicap debutant Monviel and you have the makings of an interesting renewal of this historic hurdle race.

Verdict: Plenty of potential unexposed types in the race. However, the more experienced pair of Lucky One, as short as 20/1 with William Hill you can still get 33/1 with Paddy Power and Suprise Package, 16/1 with Paddy Power, appeal at this stage.

Wednesday Racing

There are jumps cards at Fontwell & Catterick and an all-weather fixture at Lingfield this afternoon. Kempton completes the day’s action with an evening fixture under the lights.

Apologies for yesterday’s selection who ran dreadfully and was beaten by half way. Today’s selection surely can’t be that bad. I should just have gone with the consistent Doukarov who did win

I have a couple of interest on the all-weather today.

Lingfield

3:00 – Hellavapace’s best two RPR’s have come over C&D and the filly returned from a short break with a decent enough effort when a 2-length 6^th of 8 over C&D 12-days ago. Back down to her last winning mark she’s the pick here. There might even be some double figures odds about, as there was yesterday evening which adds to her appeal.

Kempton

7:00 – Almufeed is sure to be popular with punters in his bid for the five timer. He comes into the race in excellent form and has obvious claims. He does come into the race against another inform horse in Allowed. The 4-year-old seemed to improve for the step up to 1m 4f when successful over C&D three weeks ago. Granted she got an 8lb hike for that win but she shouldn’t be far away again.

Wednesday Selection

I picked the wrong one yesterday. Let’s hope I have got the right one today. As with Tuesday’s selection I’m going with the bigger priced of the pair.

Lingfield

3:00 – Hellavapace (each way).

Good luck with your Wednesday bets.

John