Tag Archive for: Imperial Cup trends

Sat TV Trends: 7th March 2026

The excitement is building for the week before the Cheltenham Festival, but before that, this Saturday the ITV cameras head to Sandown, with the Imperial Cup their feature race, plus they are also at Wolverhampton for two races that include the Lincoln Handicap Trial.

Don't forget there is also a £100k Imperial Cup bonus, should the winner go onto land any race at the Cheltenham Festival.

Sandown Horse Racing Trends (ITV3)

1.50 – European Breeders´ Fund Betfair "National Hunt" Novices´ Handicap Hurdle Final (Grade 3) Cl1 2m4fy ITV3

22/22 – Had won no more than twice over hurdles before
21/22 – Aged 6 or younger
21/22 – Carried 10-11 or more
18/22 – Placed in the top 3 last time out
18/22 – Came from outside the top 3 in the betting
18/22 – Rated 129 or less
17/22 – Unplaced favourites
15/22 – Raced within the last 6 weeks
15/22 – Returned 9/1 or less in the betting
14/22 – Irish bred
14/22 – Aged 6 years-old
12/22 – Had won over this trip before
8/22 – Won last time out
3/22 – Won by trainer Paul Nicholls (2 of the last 11)
2/22 – Won by the Fergal O’Brien yard (2 of the last 10)
2/22 – Won by trainer Nicky Henderson
2/22 – Won by the Pipe yard
1/22 – Winning favourites
1/22 – Winners that went onto run at Cheltenham (3rd Martin Pipe)
The last 12 winners were aged 5 or 6

2:27 – Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) Cl1 2m110y ITV3

19/22 – Had won no more than twice over hurdles before
19/22 – Had won between 1-2 times over hurdles before
20/22 – Had raced within the last 6 weeks
19/22 – Rated 124 or higher
17/22 – Carried 10-13 or less
16/22 – Aged 6 or younger
15/22 – Had won over at least 2m1f (hurdles) before
13/22 – Carried 10-8 or less
12/22 – Winners that went onto run at the Cheltenham Festival (1 winner, Gaspara - Fred Winter)
12/22 – Winning distance – 3 ½ lengths or more
11/22 – Finished in the top two last time out
10/22 – Aged 4 or 5 years-old
9/22 – Returned a double-figure price in the betting
7/22 – Raced at either Cheltenham (2), Sandown (2) or Ascot (2) last time out
7/22 – French bred
7/22 – Had raced at Sandown (hurdles) before – 3 had won there before
6/22 – Winning favourites
6/22 – Won last time out
5/22 – Won by the Pipe stable (have won it 9 times in all)
2/22 – Trained by Paul Nicholls (2 of the last 6)
2/22 – Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies (2 of last 9)
2/22 – Won by an Irish-trained horse
2/22 – Ridden by Harry Cobden (2 of the last 6)
Go Dante (Olly Murphy/Sean Bowen) has won the last 2 runnings
Olympian (1993), Blowing Wind (1998) and Gaspara (2007) landed the Imperial Cup bonus (won a race at the Cheltenham Festival)
The average winning SP in the last 22 years is 11/1

3:00 – British Stallion Studs EBF Mares´ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Listed) Cl1 2m110y ITV3

20/21 – Had won at least one NH Flat race before
20/21 – 1ST or 2ND last time out
19/21 – Returned 17/2 or shorter in the betting
15/21 – Had won just once before (NH Flat race)
14/21– Won last time out
13/21 – Aged 5 years-old
12/21 – Had raced within the last 8 weeks
3/21 – Winning favourites (3 of the last 6)
14 of the last 16 winners were aged 5 or 6 years-old

3:35 – Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase (Challenger Staying Chase Series Qual’) Cl3 (5yo+ 0-135) 3m37y ITV3

19/21 – Carried 11-0 or more
19/21 – Returned 9/1 or shorter in the betting
18/21 – Had won over at least 2m4f (fences) before
18/21 - Rated between 125-134
17/21 – Had won between 1-4 times over fences
16/21 – Came from the top 3 in the betting
15/21 – Aged 8 or older
13/21 – Irish bred
13/21 – Placed favourites
12/21 – Unplaced last time out
11/21 – Raced within the last 4 weeks
10/21 – Returned 7/2 or shorter in the betting
4/21 – Trained by Paul Nicholls
4/21 – Won last time out
4/21 – Winning favourites (1 joint) (3 of the last 8)
The last 10 winners returned 9/1 or less
8 of the last 10 winners carried 11st or more
The average winning SP in the last 9 runnings is 9/2

Wolverhampton Horse Racing Trends (SkySports/ITV)

2:42 – BetMGM Sports Lincoln Trial Handicap Cl2 1m141y ITV3

21/23 – Aged 6 or younger
20/23 – Won over a mile (or further) before
19/23 – Had raced within the last 6 weeks
19/23 – Priced 9/1 or shorter in the betting
18/23– Won at least three times before
12/23 – Placed favourites
12/23 – Came from stall 8 or higher
11/23 – Ran at Lingfield last time out
11/23 – Came from outside the top 3 in the betting
10/23 – Had won at Wolverhampton before
9/23 – Won last time out
8/23 – Aged 5 years-old
6/23 – Winning favourites
4/23 – Ridden by Jim Crowley (2) or David Probert (2)
2/23 – Trained by the Richard Hannon yard
2/23 – Ridden by Jamie Spencer
2 of the last 7 winners were trained by Andrew Balding
The average winning SP in the last 10 runnings is 6/1

3:15– BetMGM Lady Wulfruna Stakes (Listed Race) Cl1 7f32y ITV3

16/19 – Returned 9/1 or shorter in the betting
15/19 – Placed favourites
15/19 – Had won over 7f before
12/19 – Rated 104 or higher
12/19 – Had raced within the last 3 weeks
11/19 – Had won at least 4 times before
10/19 – Raced at Lingfield last time out
9/19 – Unplaced last time out
8/19 – Had won at Wolverhampton before
7/19 – Winning favourite
6/19 – Aged 6 or 7 years-old
3/19 – Ridden by Ryan Moore (3 of the last 8)
2/19 – Trained by Marco Botti
2/19 – Trained by Richard Hannon (2 of last 6)
10 of the last 11 winners came from stalls 6 or lower
9/10 – Aged 4 or 5 (7 aged 4)

 

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2026 Imperial Cup Trends

Staged at Sandown racecourse the Betfair Imperial Cup in a hurdle race run over 2m 1/2f.

Run just days before the start of the Cheltenham Festival -  with the race always getting added interest with a £100k bonus should the winner land any Cheltenham Festival race the following week.

In recent years that incentive has seen powerful stables like Henderson and Hobbs target the race, but it’s the Pipe yard that hold the best recent record – winning the race four times in the last 22 years and 9 times in all.

The last horses to win the Imperial Cup and then go onto land a Festival race the following week are Olympian (1993), Blowing Wind (1998) and Gaspara (2007). While the 2016 winner – Flying Angel – only just failed to land the bonus after running second in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' race.

Five of the last eight winners – Go Dante, Iceo, Malaya, London Prize and Mr Antolini – didn’t go onto run at the Cheltenham Festival, but the 2021 winner - Langer Dan - was another that only just failed to land the bonus when second in the Martin Pipe Conditional Hurdle race six days later.

The Olly Murphy runner Go Dante has won the last two runnings and will be looking for a famous three-timer in the Sandown race.

Here at GEEGEEZ we take a look back at recent winners and give you all the key stats to take into the 2026 renewal – this year run on Saturday 7th March.

Recent Imperial Cup Winners

2025 - GO DANTE (6/1)
2024 - GO DANTE (5/1 jfav)
2023 - ICEO (5/1)
2022 – SURPRISE PACKAGE (20/1)
2021 - LANGER DAN (5/1)
2020 – Abandoned
2019 – MALAYA (7/1)
2018 – MR ANTOLINI (20/1)
2017 – LONDON PRIZE (10/1)
2016 – FLYING ANGEL (9/1)
2015 – EBONY EXPRESS (33/1)
2014 – BALTIMORE ROCK (7/1)
2013 – FIRST AVENUE (20/1)
2012 – PAINTBALL (20/1)
2011 – ALARAZI (10/1)
2010 – QASPAL (11/4 fav)
2009 – DAVE’S DREAM (12/1)
2008 – ASHKAZAR (10/3 fav)
2007 – GASPARA (11/4 fav)
2006 – VICTRAM (8/1)
2005 – MEDISON (9/2 fav)
2004 – SCORNED (14/1)
2003 – KORELO (9/4 fav)
2002 - POLAR RED (6/4 fav)

Imperial Cup Betting Trends and Stats

20/22 – Had raced within the last 6 weeks
19/22 – Had won no more than twice over hurdles before
19/22 – Had won between 1-2 times over hurdles before
19/22 – Rated 124 or higher
17/22 – Carried 10-13 or less
16/22 – Aged 6 or younger
15/22 – Had won over at least 2m1f (hurdles) before
13/22 – Carried 10-8 or less
12/22 – Winners that went onto run at the Cheltenham Festival (1 winner, Gaspara - Fred Winter)
12/22 – Winning distance – 3 ½ lengths or more
11/22 – Finished in the top two last time out
10/22 – Aged 4 or 5 years-old
9/22 – Returned a double-figure price in the betting
7/22 – Raced at either Cheltenham (2), Sandown (2) or Ascot (2) last time out
7/22 – French bred
7/22 – Had raced at Sandown (hurdles) before – 3 had won there before
6/22 – Winning favourites
6/22 – Won last time out
5/22 – Won by the Pipe stable (have won it 9 times in all)
2/22 – Trained by Paul Nicholls (2 of the last 6)
2/22 – Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies (2 of last 9)
2/22 – Won by an Irish-trained horse
2/22 – Ridden by Harry Cobden (2 of the last 6)
Go Dante (Olly Murphy/Sean Bowen) has won the last 2 runnings
Olympian (1993), Blowing Wind (1998) and Gaspara (2007) landed the Imperial Cup bonus (won a race at the Cheltenham Festival)
The average winning SP in the last 22 years is 11/1

Only 2 back-to-back winners since 1949 (Secret Service, Go Dante)

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