Weekend Preview / Timeform / 06 March 2009 / Leave a comment

The final weekend before the Cheltenham Festival is always bound to be quiet by comparison, but that has never been a problem for the organisers of the Imperial Cup, especially with the £75,000 bonus put up by the sponsors available for any horse that can win the race and follow up at the Festival.

The Pipe yard has won six of the last eleven renewals, also completing the double twice in that period with Blowing Wind and Gaspara. This year David Pipe saddles both ante post favourite Mr Thriller and Seven Is My Number, the latter also featuring prominently in the market at the time of writing. Mr Thriller is a half-brother to Gaspara, and has created a favourable impression in winning on both of his British starts to date, the form of his latter success working out particularly well.

The card at the Esher track kicks off with a competitive novices' hurdle in which Quartz de Thaix and Bakbenscher clash. The former is putting his unbeaten British record on the line upped in trip, having run out a most comfortable winner at Bangor last month to follow success at Taunton in January. Bakbenscher improved for an increased trip at Newbury last time, readily seeing off recent Kempton winner Captain Americo in the process. There is also a small but select field in the novices' chase, where Deep Purple, Song of Songs and Restless D'Artaix all put their reputations on the line.

Chepstow also race, and their most interesting contest is arguably the opening maiden hurdle, in which many are open to improvement. Sergeant Harper was a fairly useful bumper performer and looks capable of at least equivalent for over hurdles, let down by his jumping on his hurdling debut last time.

Bob Run has a similar profile, but he hasn't been seen since November and the form of his hurdling debut has not worked out particularly strongly. Traffic Control and Quick Fix, both from the in-form Tom George yard, are also potential improvers. The handicap chase at 4.10 looks very open, with Hope Road, a rare jumps runner for Tom Dascombe, just ahead on the adjusted Timeform ratings.

Ayr and Wolverhampton also stage Saturday cards, the former only boasting small fields however for all that there are several runners of note, including Lucinda Russell's Zaffarella in the three-mile handicap hurdle. Wolverhampton stages the Lincoln Trial Stakes, a heritage handicap, for which Flipando is the current market leader. The progressive Flowing Cape is an interesting contender upped in trip.

Sunday's racing is relatively quiet, with Kelso, Market Rasen and Warwick holding fixtures. Market Rasen's feature is a three-mile handicap hurdle in which Minella Boys bids for a hat-trick following a short break. McMurrough is another interesting entrant at the Lincolnshire track, taking his place in the penultimate contest, a novice hurdle in which the son of Spectrum looks to have a good opportunity to break his duck over obstacles having won twice in bumpers early in the season.