Ed Quigley: A 20/1 Imperial Cup selection and a 50/1 Grand National tip

The Cheltenham Festival is on the horizon, but there will be a lot of eyes on Sandown this weekend, for the Imperial Cup card at the Esher venue. 

Jamie Snowden has been having a good season, and UP FOR PAROL looks overlooked in the market for the big one, the Imperial Cup, on Saturday. A winner of three of his seven starts over hurdles, the six-year-old has showed some smart form on more than one occasion, and it was insightful listening to Snowden's comments, indicating that he thinks he may really benefit from a drop back in trip. He has been beaten on four of the five attempts that he has gone beyond 2m over hurdles, with the sole win coming in a slowly run race over 2m3f at Haydock - a track which places much more emphasis on speed than stamina. Off 132, over a stiff 2m, I wouldn't be shocked if he massively outran his odds with any cut in the ground being a help.

Earlier on the card, THUNDER ROCK looks the one to keep onside in the Grade 3 EBF Novices' Handicap Hurdle. The Olly Murphy-trained six-year-old has notched up three wins on the spin, and an official mark of 129 could really underestimate the ceiling of his ability. He is a strong traveller who is improving with each run, and I like the claims of this unexposed type. At 7/1, he represents fair value.

Leaving Cheltenham parked to one side for a moment, and looking at just under five weeks time; we will all be getting excited about the Grand National. One horse who I thought ran a lovely prep run at Newbury on his comeback after injury, was the Ben Pauling-trained KILDISART. In fact, it will be the Gloucestershire handler's first ever runner in the Aintree spectacular, and I think he is no back-number. After 462 days off the track, he made some nice late headway to finish fourth behind runway winner Paint The Clouds over an inadequate trip. With a nice amount of time until the big one, he looks fairly treated off 148, given that his peak chase rating was 156, and on the whole is a sound jumper. Judging by his narrow defeat on very testing ground in the Ultima at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival, he should stay the marathon trip and he looks overpriced.

Advice:

Thunder Rock, 13:50 Sandown, Saturday 12th March, 1pt win 7/1 (generally)
Up For Parol, 14:25 Sandown, Saturday 12th March, 1pt win 20/1 (generally)
Kildisart, Aintree Grand National, Saturday 9th April 1pt win 50/1 (Hills)

CHECK OUT ED QUIGLEY'S CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL TIPS HERE