Not since Collier Bay beat a small field in 1995 has the traditional pre-Cheltenham handicap teaser of the Imperial Cup been without a representative from the Nicholashayne base of the Pipe team, but with Hunterview unable to creep in at the bottom of the weights and Salut Flo shopping elsewhere, that’s exactly what we’ve got for the 2010 renewal, live on Channel 4 at 3.05pm on Saturday afternoon.
Bookmakers are keenest on improving Qaspal for Philip Hobbs and AP McCoy; the six year old needs to win here to get a penalty which would carry him ironically into next week’s Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle and a tilt at the £75,000 bonus.
This lightly raced type has got it together the last twice, winning at Kempton (when he wasn’t overly fluent at his hurdles) and then hacking up over further at Sandown.
Dropping back in trip in a vastly more competitive contest here this will be by far the biggest field Qaspal has encountered, and what’s more the handicapper has had his say, slapping him with a stone rise to a mark of 124.
On those grounds I’m happy to pass him over, but I won’t be looking too far down the list, with only two of the last eight winners of this race boasting a double figure SP.
The one that catches my eye is Paul Nicholl’s high achiever Pepe Simo, a classy type who did so well pre-Christmas he earned a pop at the Christmas Hurdle.
Earlier in the campaign easy wins at Wincanton (twice) and Haydock helped earn him a mark of 140, which means he races with 11st 5lb on his back here.
Ruby Walsh is again on board, preferring him to Nicholls’ other runner Pistolet Noir.
The winner of a bumper at Taunton during his debut campaign he was considered good enough for a shot at the Champion Bumper 12 months ago (finishing 9th behind Dunguib), and the upgrade to hurdling has been a largely positive one, with three wins culminating in his best display at Haydock where he had a real cut at his hurdles and really looked to have got the hang of the job, putting several lengths daylight between himself and the chasing pack.
He wasn’t good enough to trouble Go Native and co in the Christmas Hurdle, but he might be next year and this is far easier.
Given that my selection is by Victory Note out of Vallee Doree heaven only knows where they got the name Pepe Simo from, although possibly it was influenced by that immaculately dressed buffoon Lord Culcheth, who has been known to return from Matalan with the odd pair of orange Pepe jeans in his bin bag.
An entry in the County Hurdle means Nicholls also has the option of fishing for the £75,000 bonus if he can win here and at the Festival, but no doubt he’ll be more than satisfied if they can claim Sandown’s big pre-Cheltenham prize.
As with any big field handicap there are a stack of alternative options, but Pepe Simo looks to have excellent claims.
Good luck!
Saturday’s Sandown Park tip:
3.05 – Paddy Power Imperial Cup – 4 Pepe Simo (each way) @ 7/1 (Skybet, Totesport, Victor Chandler)
n.b. at lesser odds both Bet365 & Paddy Power are betting 1/4 odds 1-2-3-4-5 on the race
