IMPERIAL CUP PREVIEW BY PAUL FERGUSON
Anthony Honeyball’s novice REGAL ENCORE is fancied to land the Imperial Cup at Sandown on the eve of the Cheltenham Festival and, in doing so, set up a crack at the valuable bonus.
Runner-up in the Champion Bumper last term, the six-year-old was beaten by the smart Garde La Victoire at Aintree on his debut over hurdles, before scoring with any amount in hand, in moderate company at Plumpton in November.
Turned over again at short odds next time at Hexham, that form now looks a lot better, with the winner Seeyouatmidnight having won both starts since, including the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock recently.
The son of King‘s Theatre appeals the type to improve considerably when contesting a more truly run affair and, having been handed an opening mark of 130, the Imperial Cup looks ideal.
It had been presumed that he would be aimed at the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury in early February and, once it became apparent that wasn’t to be the case, this was nominated as his most likely next target.
If all goes well and he lands the Imperial Cup, connections will no doubt be looking to let him take his chance in one of the Festival contests, for which he currently holds engagements in the Supreme and Neptune. He would have to win really impressively to be considered for one of those and it would seem more likely that they will try and get him in to one of the handicaps later in the week (under a 5lb penalty), with the County and Martin Pipe likely to make most appeal.
On the same Sandown card, the EBF Final is one of my favourite races of the season, with lots of future chasing stars usually on show in what tends to be a very competitive novices’ handicap hurdle.
One horse that could be aimed here is Philip Hobbs’ Royal Regatta who I have also flagged up for the Coral Cup in my Festival preview. The six-year-old looked useful when winning at Aintree and Leicester and should be forgiven his latest run, as the lack of pace and desperate ground were both against him.
A mark of 133 may well underestimate his ability and the son of King’s Theatre warrants plenty of respect wherever he turns up in the coming weeks.
