Antepost Racing Tips: Back Baker's 16/1 Imperial Cup contender

• Pauling novice could be a leading contender at 16/117.00

• Four places each-way on Sportsbook for Betfair Imperial Cup

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Sandown - 13:50: Betfair "National Hunt" Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final: Back Kalkbrenner EW 16/117.00

Sandown and Imperial Cup Day, the Lincoln Trial at Wolverhampton and the weekend before Cheltenham - a real nexus of racing energies all meet this Saturday.

Last weekend wasn't quite our day following the recent tipping run, and Rodney, who opted for the novices' race, blunted our hopes. At least the weather this weekend will be more akin to spring rather than the mudfest at Doncaster (are they still calling it good, good to firm in places?).

I am starting with Kalkbrenner, a young hurdler who I think has a lot of natural ability, and at 16/117.00 with no other entry, looks far too big on the Betfair Sportsbook market for the Sandown 13:50.

Trainer Ben Pauling won this EBF Novices' Final in 2024 with Champagne Twist from 124, and, while Kalkbrenner at this stage of his career is rated significantly higher, Pauling has waxed lyrical about his talents so he must have been perplexed by how poorly he performed in the Grade 1 Challow behind No Drama This End.

I was with Kalkbrenner that day and the trainer said he was unsuited by the going (given officially as good). That's potentially a slight worry with a dry-ish week save for rain on Friday, but he could be well handicapped from 134.

He was beaten into second in a Newbury novice behind Klimt Madrik earlier in the season, but Kalkbrenner had beaten Klimt Madrik on his hurdling debut at Ffos Las in October with the pair 14L clear of anything else.

I suspect Kalkbrenner went too soon into the straight that day, but he certainly travelled at the top of the turn like a winner, with his price in-running at low as 1.141/7.

As we know the hurdles' track at Sandown rides a lot more testing, and we can use that to our advantage as Kalkbrenner is likely to prefer conditions with some soft in there, somewhere.

Sandown - 14:27: Betfair Imperial Cup: Back Gooloogong EW four places @ 16/117.00

With Cheltenham looming over the Sandown card like Sauron's Eye, the Esher track can lay claim to a big race of their own with the Betfair Imperial Cup - a race with 30 entries on Tuesday morning in a max field of 22, and again the Sportsbook are offering four places for each-way bets.

Betfair also are offering a £100,000 bonus to the connections of the winner should the same horse go on to win any race at Cheltenham next week. Khrisma for owner JP McManus is the 7/24.50 favourite and holds entries next week for the Dawn Run and County, so the bonus could be on for JP - every little helps.

She won easily at Market Rasen and the 128 mark for a handicap debut could well underestimate her, but she was beaten at Huntingdon and the 7/24.50 for me doesn't do an awful lot.

What are we left with?

Go Dante is bidding for a third straight Betfair Imperial Cup victory at the age of 10, and while he is approaching the cardigan and slipper stage of his career, winning two big handicaps is worthy of the accolades. But three? He is a 12/113.00 runner. His trainer Olly Murphy will have to keep Fingle Bridge in here off top weight to preserve his veteran's chances.

Mondo Man is interesting as the Gary Moore yard are showing signs of a revival, although it couldn't get any worse as they've had a stinking few months as they set off for the season on the wrong foot - and have stayed there for much of the campaign.

However, I am leaning towards a 16/117.00 poke here with George Baker's Gooloogong.

He's a 2-4 hurdler, lightly-raced and off a good mark from 124 and while he didn't beat much on his return at Kempton last time (and was allowed to go off at 50/151.00), he thrashed them good and proper.

I see sticking right-handed as a major plus as the way Gooloogong eased to the stands' side at Kempton is something I can see happening at Sandown. While the official going at Kempton was good to soft, times indicated more soft, and he won't mind it drying out either.

His finishing speed over the 2m at Kempton was excellent in relation to his rivals. At 15f, he recorded a sectional almost a full second quicker than the runner-up and his 13.84 to the third's 15.27 reflected the chasm.

Gooloogong's jumping too, especially the final hurdles in the straight, was spot on, really accurate and his quick technique could be a major asset in a well-run 2m.

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