Top commentator Simon Holt returns to pick out his best bets for Saturday's action, including in the Imperial Cup.
Recommended bets
1pt win London Prize in 3.00 Sandown at 9/1 (General)
1pt win Nimr in 2.05 Wolverhampton at 5/1 (General)
2pts win Yuften in 3.15 Wolverhampton at 5/1 (StanJames)
LONDON PRIZE looks the most progressive horse in a disappointing field for Saturday's Matchbook Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle but must overcome slight doubts about his ability to handle really soft ground.
The Ian Williams-trained gelding won his last two starts on the Flat last season at Newbury and Nottingham and, after a fall over hurdles (going well at the time) at Musselburgh in early February, was given a confidence-boosting run on Newcastle's tapeta surface ten days later when he finished a creditable second to the smart Godolphin filly Natural Scenery.
Over hurdles, London Prize continued his progress in December, winning a novices' event at Leicester before being short-headed by the useful Bandsman at Market Rasen and, while most of his best form has come on good ground, it was good to soft when he won at Newbury and his pedigree offers hope in that his dam handled the soft well as did his half brother Categorical, a multiple jumps winner.
Top weighted Fixe Le Kap runs for the first time since finishing a fair eighth in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at last year's Cheltenham Festival in which the conditions were probably quick enough for him.
Earlier this season, the plan had been to send this giant French import over fences but he must have had some sort of setback.
Likely to be well suited by the going conditions here, Nicky Henderson's representative looks handily treated on his effort at Haydock last season when splitting Frodon and Messire Des Obeaux in the Victor Ludorum Hurdle on which form he has definite claims. But much depends on his well-being.
The Imperial Cup has always been targeted by the Pipe family, and David Pipe's representative Max Do Brazil is certainly interesting on the pick of his French form which included a second in a listed handicap hurdle at Auteuil in November.
However, the five-year-old was disappointing on his first run in this country at Cheltenham in January and needs to put that effort behind him.
Of the others, Gassin Golf, second in this race in 2014 and third in 2015, certainly catches the eye.
Kerry Lee's charge ran well enough on his Fontwell reappearance in November following a year off and may then have been stretched by two-and-a-half miles at Newbury before falling in the Betfair Hurdle.
Gassin Golf is 8lb lower than his highest career rating and it just depends whether he retains his old ability. The amateur Richard Patrick takes off a valuable 7lb.
Last year's third Spice Fair could be thereabouts again though seems very difficult to win with while Kayf Blanco and Prairie Town also have good course form.
William H Bonney and Bigmartre would be leading players on their victories at Cheltenham and Kempton respectively two outings ago but were both well beaten next time.
At Wolverhampton, NIMR could prove hard to beat in the sunbets.co.uk Lincoln Trial.
Useful as a two-year-old, the son of Shamardal has been lightly raced since but returned from an absence to win over six furlongs on the course in December and followed up here over seven furlongs last month.
On pedigree, Nimr should be well suited by this step up in distance given his usual waiting tactics and is potentially better than his current mark.
Later on, YUFTEN may be different class to his rivals in the sunbets.co.uk Lady Wulfruna Stakes.
Fifth in the St James's Palace Stakes and second (subsequently disqualified) in the Prix Jean Prat as a three-year-old, the son of Invincible Spirit has had a few ups and downs since but finished off last season with a well-fancied win in the hugely valuable Balmoral Handicap at Ascot on Champions Day in which he proved too strong for the likes of Remarkable and Firmament in the closing stages.
Likely to have benefitted from being gelded, Yuften could be poised to return to a higher level and is proven on an all-weather surface having beaten Sir Isaac Newton at Dundalk last April.
Posted 1232 GMT on 10/03/2017
