Imperial Light
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHT can win us some much needed Cheltenham money in the Imperial Cup at Sandown this afternoon.
This weekend’s racing has a bit of a feel of the calm before the storm about it, but nonetheless there’s some decent action.
Novice hurdler Friday Night Light should have a great each-way chance for David Pipe, who has won three of the last 11 runnings of this contest, continuing his father’s good record in the race. He took a big step up when finishing second behind Le Patriote in his last run at Ascot, which is by far his best piece of form and he is better off in the weights with that rival this time around. From his five runs over hurdles, he is yet to be unplaced, and he could go on to attempt the Cheltenham bonus of £100,000 if successful, as he is entered in the Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle and Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at the Festival.
Pipe completed the Imperial Cup/ Cheltenham double in 2007 with Gaspara, who won the Fred Winter ■ BADEN edged out Rathlin Rose to deny Captain Guy Disney back-to-back victories in the Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown.
Disney was seeking a four-timer having won this race last year as well as the last two runnings of the Royal Artillery Gold Cup. and very nearly done it again the following year with Ashkazar.
Friday Night Light faces some good horses here including the Nicky Henderson pair of CALL ME LORD and WHATSWRONGWITHYOU, but he is worth an each-way punt. Meanwhile, POORMANS HILL can continue his winning run of 2018 and land the Leinster National at Gowran Park for Gordon Elliott. Elliott has been the king of the handicaps this season and could land another here.
This contest was meant to take place at Naas on Sunday, but all the chases on that card have been cancelled, meaning the Leinster National will be run at the Co Kilkenny racecourse this afternoon instead. Poormans Hill has won his last two starts and can follow up here off a low weight.
Also at Gowran, EPICURIS looks to have a good chance to lose his maiden tag in the Best Of Luck To The Irish At Cheltenham Maiden Hurdle.
He has disappointing in his two runs to date for the Willie Mullins team, but has top class flat form having finished fifth behind Golden Horn in the 2016 Derby.
If he can improve on his jumping, he should be hard to beat.