Racecards
15:05 Sandown Park
Paddy Power Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (listed) (Class 1)
- 23 Runners
- Distance: 2m 110y
- Going: Good to Soft, back straight Good
- Surface: Turf
- £70,000 added

- Form 4-00F15
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 147
- Trainer C J Mann
- Jockey Peter Toole
mid-division, weakened 2 out

- Form 6522F9
- Age 6
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 143
- Trainer L Wadham
- Jockey B J Geraghty
in touch, outpaced 3 out, soon weakened

- Form 2011/0-2
- Age 9
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 142
- Trainer A B Haynes
- Jockey A Glassonbury
chased leaders to 3rd, in touch, lost place 3 out, behind when pulled up next

- Form 19-1115
- Age 6
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 140
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
mid-division, chased leaders 2 out, kept on same pace, no impression

- Form 11344F
- Age 9
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer Mrs A M Thorpe
- Jockey J W Farrelly
in touch, lost place approaching 2 out, soon weakened

- Form 111-021
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer J Howard Johnson
- Jockey D F O'Regan
tracked leaders, hit 3 out, effort and every chance next, weakened last

- Form 36-F742
- Age 10
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 131
- Trainer R J Hodges
- Jockey C Bolger
mid-division, ridden after 3 out, no impression when pulled up before next

- Form 30-2285
- Age 7
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 129
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
held up towards rear, mistake 3rd, headway 3 out, led next, ridden last, kept on until headed and no extra flat

- Form 3122
- Age 4
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 137
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Nick Scholfield
always behind

- Form 0-61401
- Age 7
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 129
- Trainer M F Harris
- Jockey Sean Quinlan
in touch, lost place 4th, soon behind, tailed off when pulled up 2 out

- Form 83-0233
- Age 7
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 129
- Trainer N J Gifford
- Jockey L Treadwell
mid-division on inside, outpaced 2 out, never on terms

- Form 6-23312
- Age 5
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 128
- Trainer A Fleming
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
always behind, tailed off when pulled up 2 out


- Form 1-314
- Age 5
- Weight 10-5
- Official Rating 126
- Trainer Miss E C Lavelle
- Jockey Jack Doyle
held up towards rear, headway 3 out, lead briefly before 2 out, no extra approaching last

- Form 424906
- Age 7
- Weight 10-4
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey J E Moore
led to before 2 out, soon weakened

- Form 5/462-05
- Age 6
- Weight 10-4
- Official Rating 125
in touch, chased leader 3rd to before 2 out, soon weakened

- Form 112
- Age 7
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 124
- Trainer J R Boyle
- Jockey Stephen Craine
chased leaders to before 2 out, soon weakened

- Form 1418
- Age 6
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 124
- Trainer N B King
- Jockey Alex Merriam
mid-division, headway 3 out, effort and every chance next, one pace last

- Form 5-40115
- Age 7
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 124
always behind

- Form 2-96611
- Age 6
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 124
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey A P McCoy
held up behind, headway 3 out, effort next, went 2nd before last, ridden and stayed on to lead flat

- Form 105/23P
- Age 8
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer C J Mann
- Jockey Jimmy McCarthy
mid-division on inside, weakened before 2 out, soon pulled up

- Form 211U45
- Age 7
- Weight 10-1
- Official Rating 122
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey P J Brennan
chased leaders, ridden and weakened approaching 2 out

- Form 113534
- Age 5
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 120
chased leaders, hit 3 out, ridden and kept on same pace, no impression
- Form 8-F3970
- Age 8
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 129
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey R P McLernon
Nonrunner
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
QASPAL will be a warm order for this contest but should take all the beating. Aather and Dani's Girl make some each-way appeal. It has been over 12 months since A. P. McCoy attempted to do a weight as low as this and it would be no surprise to see him put up a little overweight but that shouldn't prevent Qaspal from completing his hat-trick. He didn't show a great deal on his first three starts but landed a gamble in good style on his handicap bow at Kempton before following up over two and a half miles at this venue. He's up in the weights and class, down in trip and has quicker ground to contend with but should prove hard to beat. There aren't very many unexposed horses in this field with the exception of Caravel, Press The Button and Aather who all have claims. The first two named have to prove their effectiveness on a track of this nature whilst the latter went from travelling well to finding little on the hill at Cheltenham last time so they all appeal more as each-way options as their challenges could falter. Of more appeal at the prices is Dani's Girl who has been kept busy on the level whilst waiting for the ground to dry out. She has done well for her new handler this season and was far from disgraced in the Gerry Feilden at Newbury last time and should go well whilst Pepe Simo rates a mention but looks to have too much weight to get the better of Qaspal.
Formwatch
Katies Tuitor 5-1 (10-2) Held up towards rear, headway 4 out, chased winners next, never able to challenge, 5th of 7, 22l behind Celestial Halo (11-10) at Wincanton 2m Ltd hcp hdl (1) gs in Nov.
El Dancer (GER) 20-1 (11-5) Mid-division, outpaced 3 out, kept on under pressure from next, no impression, 9th of 16, 15l behind Beshabar (11-2) at Ascot 2m 3f hcp hdl (2) gs in Feb.
Border Castle 14-1 (11-2) With leader, led 4 out, headed approaching 2 out, not pace of winner, 2nd of 6, 12l behind Punjabi (11-10) at Kempton 2m hdl (2) sft in Feb.
Pepe Simo (IRE) 10-1 (11-7) Held up in touch, mistake 5th, chased leaders after 3 out, mistake 2nd last, soon beaten, 5th of 7, 22l behind Go Native (11-7) at Kempton 2m hdl G1 (1) gs in Dec.
Treaty Flyer (IRE) 9-1 (10-9) Tracked leaders, fell 4th, in a race won by Punjabi (11-10) at Kempton 2m hdl (2) sft in Feb, 6 ran.
Caravel (IRE) 7-1 (11-7) Held up, in touch, went 2nd approaching 3 out, challenged next, led after last, kept on under pressure, driven out, won at Musselburgh 2m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd in Feb beating Doeslessthanme (11-6) by nk, 9 ran.
Tender Falcon 20-1 (10-2) In touch, driven and effort 2 out, soon ridden, stayed on well under pressure to press winner and every chance flat, just held, 2nd of 16, nk behind Beshabar (11-2) at Ascot 2m 3f hcp hdl (2) gs in Feb.
Oldrik (GER) 28-1 (10-0) Held up, in rear headway after 3 out, 5th of 23, 10l behind Get Me Out Of Here (10-6) at Newbury 2m hcp hdl Grade 3 (1) gs in Feb.
Pistolet Noir (FR) 8-15fav (11-3) Not fluent, tracked leading pair, chased winner well before 2 out, no impression after 2 out, well held when hit last, 2nd of 6, 7l behind Duke Of Lucca (11-12) at Taunton 2m 3f nh nov hdl (3) sft.
Chaninbar (FR) 6-1 (11-9) Held up in touch, bumped 1st, tracked leader 4th, led 9th, hit 4 out, drew clear approaching 2 out, easily, won at Newbury 2m 1f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs beating Its Crucial (10-10) by 10l, 6 ran.
Pascha Bere (FR) 9-2 (11-1) Held up in touch, headway after 3 out, soon every chance, held when not much room after last, weakened flat, 3rd of 9, 6l behind Tasheba (11-12) at Sandown 2m lst hcp hdl (0-150) (1) hvy in Dec.
Aather (IRE) 8-1 (10-5) Held up in rear, smooth headway on outside approaching 2 out, led going well last, no extra and headed towards finish, 2nd of 16, 1 1/4l behind Arctic Magic (10-2) at Cheltenham 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (2) sft in Jan.
Tilt 4-6fav (11-11) Reluctant to start and soon detatched, joined rear of main group 5th, struggling next, lost touch, pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Benny Be Good (11-4) at Sedgefield 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) hvy in Feb, 10 ran.
Tocca Ferro (FR) 7-1 (11-9) Held up in 4th, effort before 2 out, weakened soon after, well held in 4th, when mistake last, 4th of 6, 11l behind Phidippides (11-12) at Kempton 2m 5f nh nov hdl (2) gs in Feb.
Numide (FR) 12-1 (11-5) Behind, driven and headway 3 out, soon hard ridden, never on terms, 6th of 11, 26l behind Clova Island (11-2) at Kempton 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Feb.
Callisto Moon 9-1 (10-6) Led, clear from 2nd, headed approaching 2 out, no extra, 5th of 17, 9l behind Treaty Flyer (10-3) at Market Rasen 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-145 (2) gd in Sep.
Press The Button (GER) 15-8 (11-6) Chased winner after 1st, hung right behind winner from 3 out, ridden 2 out, soon no impression, 2nd of 5, 3l behind Cootehill (11-8) at Kempton 2m lst nov hdl (4yo+) (1) gf in Oct.
Cheshire Prince 17-2 (10-5) Held up towards rear, headway approaching 7th, every chance 2 out, weakened flat, 8th of 18, 10l behind Sir Harry Ormesher (11-5) at Doncaster 2m 3f hcp hdl (2) gs in Feb.
Dani's Girl (IRE) 8-1 (10-1) Held up, headway after 3 out, went 2nd last, one pace, 5th of 12, 6l behind Fairyland (10-8) at Newbury 2m listed hcp hdl 0-145 (1) gs in Nov.
Qaspal (FR) 5-4fav (11-2) Pulled hard in rear, smooth headway before 2 out, soon challenging going well, led soon after 2 out, in command last, comfortably, won at Sandown 2m 4f nov hcp hdl 0-120 (3) hvy in Feb beating Rebeccas Choice (11-0) by 2 3/4l, 12 ran.
Kanad 15-2 (11-10) Held up in touch, blundered 4th, soon reminders and lost place, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Bleak House (11-7) at Doncaster 2m hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Jan, 8 ran.
Sambulando (FR) 20-1 (11-11) Close up, chased leaders 6th, every chance 2 out, mistake and weakened last, 5th of 10, 9l behind Bothy (10-13) at Taunton 2m 1f nov hcp hdl 0-125 (3) sft in Feb.
Dontpaytheferryman (USA) 9-2 (10-10) Mid-division, headway after 5th, led 3 out, ridden and headed 2 out, no extra flat, 4th of 11, 7l behind Mohayer (11-0) at Uttoxeter 2m hcp hdl 0-130 (3) hvy in Feb.
Stradbrook (IRE) 16-1 (11-0) Led until headed approaching 4th, stayed close up until weakened 3 out, 11th of 16, 18l behind Arctic Magic (10-2) at Cheltenham 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (2) sft in Jan.