Donn McClean

IF there is such a thing as Before the Lord Mayor’s Show, this is it, Imperial Cup day at Sandown, Matchbook Imperial Cup day at Sandown.

It is a shame that the feature race has attracted just 13 declared runners. There were only 14 runners in 2014 and there were only 14 again last year. But Ebony Express beat 22 rivals in 2015, and there were 24 runners in 2012 and 2011. Surely the Cheltenham Festival (ref. Lord Mayor’s Show, above) isn’t gobbling everything up to that extent.

The 13/2 that is available about William H Bonney could be the value of today’s race. Alan King’s horse was well-beaten in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Lord Mayor’s Show, but he had been progressing nicely in the lead up to that race.

Well-beaten in a decent race at Kempton over Christmas on ground that may have been faster than ideal for him on his debut this term, he showed the benefit of that run when he landed a good handicap hurdle at Cheltenham’s Cotswold Chase meeting at the end of January.

He only got home by a length in the end that day, from Man Of Plenty, but he travelled like a likely winner from the top of the home straight. He hit the front at the final flight and he just appeared to idle when he got there. He was always holding the runner-up, and he left the impression that he had a fair bit more in hand than the bare winning margin.

The form of that race is working out well through Divine Spear, who ran a cracker next time to finish a close-up second to Air Horse One in a good contest at Ascot.

RAN FLAT

Raised 5lb for that to a mark of 137, William H Bonney has since run disappointingly in the Betfair Hurdle. But that race came up just two weeks after his Cheltenham run, and Alan King expressed concerns that it might come up a bit quickly. That appeared to be the case, the Midnight Legend gelding just ran flat.

Two positives from that. Firstly, the handicapper dropped him back 3lb to a mark of 134, just 2lb higher than the mark off which he won at Cheltenham, and that is a mark that could under-rated him considerably. Secondly, he would probably be clear favourite for this race had he not run in the Betfair Hurdle, if he was coming into this race off a win at Cheltenham, even racing off a 3lb higher mark.

William H Bonney is only six and he has raced just seven times over hurdles, so he still has plenty of scope for further progression. He is the right age for a race in which eight of the last 10 winners were six or younger, he goes well on soft ground, so the prevailing conditions are a positive and, while he has never run at Sandown, he has won one of the two races that he has run going right-handed. Alan King’s horses are in good form, Wayne Hutchinson is a top rider, and all looks set for a big run.

EASIER TASK

The absence of Golden Spear obviously makes William H Bonney’s task easier than it would have been had Tony Martin’s horse made the trip. Fixe Le Kap is classy and he could be a big player in the race, even though he is returning after an absence of almost a year but, at a bigger price, William H Bonney may represent better value.

Earlier in the day, Tintern Theatre could out-perform his odds in the EBF Final, a good each-way race as long as all 16 declared runners stand their ground.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse was well beaten at Ascot last time, but that was in a hot novices’ contest, and he ran well for a long way, he led until the second last flight. He should be much happier here back in handicap company and racing off a mark of 131.

On his previous run, he ran a big race to finish second to Le Rocher on heavy ground at Uttoxeter, a race that is working out well. Again, he led from early that day, and he continued to battle on well after he had been headed, going down by just over a length in the end.

He goes well under today’s conditions, and his prominent racing style could be an asset today, it can be difficult to peg back prominent racers on soft ground on the hurdles track at Sandown. Tintern Theatre has raced five times over hurdles, he has a good mix of relative experience and potential for progression for a competitive novices’ handicap hurdle like this and, off a mark of 131, just 3lb higher than his Uttoxeter mark, he could go well at decent odds.

RECOMMENDED

WILLIAM H BONNEY, 1 point win, 13/2 (generally)

TINTERN THEATRE, 1 point each-way, 11/1 (generally)

One of Donn’s two recommended bets last week Thomas Crapper (recommended at 10/1) won the Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury.