Tag Archive for: Imperial Cup trends

2025 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 -  there used to be a bonus for any winner that followed up at Cheltenham, but this extra prize carrot is no longer on the table with the race sponsors Betfair.

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 21 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.

Four of the last seven winners – 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 2024 running was landed by the Olly Murphy runner Go Dante - beating former County Hurdle winner Faivoir by a nose.

Here at GEEGEEZ we take a look back at recent winners and give you all the key stats to take into the 2025 renewal – this year run on Saturday 8th March.

Recent Imperial Cup Winners

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)

Imperial Cup Betting Trends and Stats

19/21 – Had won no more than twice over hurdles before
19/21 – Had won between 1-2 times over hurdles before
19/21 – Had raced within the last 6 weeks
18/21 – Rated 124 or higher
16/21 – Carried 10-13 or less
16/21 – Aged 6 or younger
14/21 – Had won over at least 2m1f (hurdles) before
12/21 – Carried 10-7 or less
12/20 – Winners that went onto run at the Cheltenham Festival (1 winner, Gaspara - Fred Winter)
12/21 – Winning distance – 3 ½ lengths or more
11/21 – Finished in the top two last time out
10/21 – Aged 4 or 5 years-old
9/21 – Returned a double-figure price in the betting
7/21 – Raced at either Cheltenham (2), Sandown (2) or Ascot (2) last time out
7/21 – French bred
6/21 – Won last time out
6/21 – Had raced at Sandown (hurdles) before – 2 had won there before
6/21 – Winning favourites
5/21 – Won by the Pipe stable (have won it 9 times in all)
2/21 – Trained by Paul Nicholls (2 of the last 5)
2/21 – Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies (2 of last 8)
2/21 – Won by an Irish-trained horse
2/21 – Ridden by Harry Cobden (2 of the last 5)
The average winning SP in the last 21 years is 11/1

 

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Sat TV Trends: 8th March 2025

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 and also at Hereford for one race.

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 (ITV4)

1.50 – European Breeders´ Fund Betfair "National Hunt" Novices´ Handicap Hurdle Final (Grade 3) Cl1 2m4fy ITV4

21/21 – Had won no more than twice over hurdles before
20/21 – Aged 6 or younger
20/21 – Carried 10-11 or more
18/21 – Placed in the top 3 last time out
17/21 – Came from outside the top 3 in the betting
17/21 – Rated 129 or less
16/21 – Unplaced favourites
15/21 – Raced within the last 6 weeks
15/21 – Returned 9/1 or less in the betting
14/21 – Irish bred
13/21 – Aged 6 years-old
12/21 – Had won over this trip before
8/21 – Won last time out
3/21 – Won by trainer Paul Nicholls (2 of the last 10)
2/21 – Won by the Fergal O’Brien yard (2 of the last 9)
2/21 – Won by trainer Nicky Henderson
2/21 – Won by the Pipe yard
1/21 – Winning favourites
1/21 – Winners that went onto run at Cheltenham (3rd Martin Pipe)
The last 11 winners were aged 5 or 6

2.25 – Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) Cl1 2m110y ITV4

19/21 – Had won no more than twice over hurdles before
19/21 – Had won between 1-2 times over hurdles before
19/21 – Had raced within the last 6 weeks
18/21 – Rated 124 or higher
16/21 – Carried 10-13 or less
16/21 – Aged 6 or younger
14/21 – Had won over at least 2m1f (hurdles) before
12/21 – Carried 10-7 or less
12/20 – Winners that went onto run at the Cheltenham Festival (1 winner, Gaspara - Fred Winter)
12/21 – Winning distance – 3 ½ lengths or more
11/21 – Finished in the top two last time out
10/21 – Aged 4 or 5 years-old
9/21 – Returned a double-figure price in the betting
7/21 – Raced at either Cheltenham (2), Sandown (2) or Ascot (2) last time out
7/21 – French bred
6/21 – Won last time out
6/21 – Had raced at Sandown (hurdles) before – 2 had won there before
6/21 – Winning favourites
5/21 – Won by the Pipe stable (have won it 9 times in all)
2/21 – Trained by Paul Nicholls (2 of the last 5)
2/21 – Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies (2 of last 8)
2/21 – Won by an Irish-trained horse
2/21 – Ridden by Harry Cobden (2 of the last 5)
The average winning SP in the last 21 years is 11/1

3.00 – British Stallion Studs EBF Mares´ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Listed) Cl1 2m110y ITV4

19/20 – Had won at least one NH Flat race before
19/20 – 1ST or 2ND last time out
18/20 – Returned 17/2 or shorter in the betting
14/20– Won last time out
14/20 – Had won just once before (NH Flat race)
12/20 – Aged 5 years-old
11/20 – Had raced within the last 8 weeks
2/20 – Winning favourites
13 of the last 15 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 ITV

18/20 – Had won over at least 2m4f (fences) before
18/20 – Carried 11-0 or more
18/20 – Returned 9/1 or shorter in the betting
17/20 -  Rated between 125-134
16/20 – Had won between 1-4 times over fences
15/20 – Came from the top 3 in the betting
15/20 – Aged 8 or older
13/20 – Irish bred
12/20 – Placed favourites
11/20 – Unplaced last time out
11/20 – Raced within the last 4 weeks
9/20 – Returned 7/2 or shorter in the betting
4/20 – Trained by Paul Nicholls
4/20 – Won last time out
3/20 – Winning favourites (1 joint)
The last 9 winners returned 9/1 or less
7 of the last 9 winners carried 11st or more
The average winning SP in the last 9 runnings is 5/1

Wolverhampton Horse Racing Trends (SkySports/ITV)

 

3.20 – BetMGM Lady Wulfruna Stakes (Listed Race) Cl1 7f32y ITV4

15/18 – Placed favourites
15/18 – Returned 9/1 or shorter in the betting
14/18 – Had won over 7f before
12/18 – Rated 104 or higher
11/18 – Had won at least 4 times before
11/18 – Had raced within the last 3 weeks
10/18 – Raced at Lingfield last time out
9/18 – Unplaced last time out
7/18 – Had won at Wolverhampton before
7/18 – Winning favourite
6/18 – Aged 6 or 7 years-old
3/18 – Ridden by Ryan Moore (3 of the last 7)
2/18 – Trained by Marco Botti
2/18 – Trained by Richard Hannon (2 of last 5)
9 of the last 10 winners came from stalls 6 or lower

Hereford Horse Racing Trends (SkySports/ITV)

2:05 DragonBet Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (5yo+ 0-140)

7 previous runnings
7/7 – Aged between 7-9
7/7 – Carried 10-12 or more
2/7 – Winning favourite
Trainer Joe Tizzard has a 33% strike-rate with his chasers at the track
Trainer Matt Sheppard has a 25% strike-rate with his chasers at the track
Jockey Stan Sheppard has a 33% strike-rate riding chasers at the track

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Imperial Cup Trends

Staged at Sandown racecourse the Imperial Cup in a hurdle race run over 2m 1/2f. Run just days before the start of the Cheltenham Festival  the contest always takes has an added interest for punters and trainers as traditionally the race sponsors have traditional put up an extra £50,000 should the winner go onto land any festival race the following week - the 2020 race sponsors are leading bookmaker, Paddy Power.

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 15 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 Conditionals race. The last three winners – Malaya, London Prize and Mr Antolini – didn’t go onto run at the Cheltenham Festival.

Here at GEEGEEZ we take a look back at recent winners and give you all the key stats to take into the 2021 renewal – this year run on Saturday 13th March.

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Recent Imperial Cup Winners

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)

Imperial Cup Betting Trends and Stats

16/17 – Had won no more than twice over hurdles before
16/17 – Had raced within the last 6 weeks
15/17 – Had won between 1-2 times over hurdles before
15/17 – Carried 10-13 or less
14/17 – Rated 124 or higher
13/17 – Aged 6 or younger
12/17 – Carried 10-7 or less
10/17 – Winners that went onto run at the Cheltenham Festival (1 winner, Gaspara - Fred Winter)
11/17 – Had won over at least 2m1f (hurdles) before
10/17 – Finished in the top two last time out
9/17 – Winning distance – 3 ½ lengths or more
8/17 – Returned a double-figure price in the betting
8/17 – Aged 4 or 5 years-old
6/17 – Raced at either Cheltenham (2), Sandown (2) or Ascot (2) last time out
6/17 – Won last time out
6/17 – French bred
5/17 – Winning favourites
5/17 – Had raced at Sandown (hurdles) before – 2 had won there before
5/17 – Won by the Pipe stable (have won it 9 times in all)
2/17 – Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies (2 of last 4)
1/17 – Won by an Irish-trained horse
The average winning SP in the last 17 years is 11/1

 

 

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