Confirmed runners and riders for the Betfair Imperial Cup at Sandown on Saturday

The Ben Pauling-trained Jipcot and Bad featured among 16 declarations for the Betfair Imperial Cup (2.25) at Sandown on Saturday.

Jipcot, the mount of Kielan Woods, carries a 7lb penalty following an impressive win at Huntingdon on Sunday.

Bad will be ridden by Ben Jones and most recently finished second to Mothill at Ascot last month on his first start since wind surgery.

The Olly Murphy-trained Go Dante finished third behind Iberico Lord in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury last time and is the mount of Sean Bowen in the £100,000 race, while fellow title chaser Harry Cobden is aboard the Paul Nicholls-trained Sans Bruit. Nicholls and Cobden won the race with Iceo last year.

Sean Flanagan rides the David O'Brien-trained Minx Tiara, who finished second in a Listed mares’ handicap hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown last time.

The novice Making Headway is an intriguing runner for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero. He defied a penalty when making all at Newbury last time.

Dan Skelton: saddles three runners in the Imperial CupCredit: Harry Trump

Dan Skelton won this race with Langer Dan in 2021 and saddles three runners, with Harry Skelton aboard last year’s County Hurdle scorer Faivoir, Tristan Durrell claiming 3lb from Knickerbockerglory and Charlie Todd partnering Goonhilly off 10st 4lb.

Last season's Chester Cup winner Metier has his first start over hurdles since being pulled up in this race last year.

There are big-race rides for two 7lb claimers with Elizabeth Gale aboard the hat-trick-seeking Georgi Girl for Philip Hobbs and Johnson White and Harry Atkins booked for bottomweight Lively Citizen, who finished second in the race for David Jeffreys two years ago.

Honky Tonk Highway, a £165,000 recruit for owner Garry Wilson, makes her debut for the Skeltons in the 12-runner Listed mares’ bumper (3.00) on the undercard. Her Irish point-to-point win was boosted by the runner-up Diva Luna landing a Listed mares’ bumper at Market Rasen on her rules debut for Ben Pauling.

Betfair Imperial Cup runners and riders

Spirit D’Aunou Mr Freddie Mitchell (5)
Metier Jonathan Burke
Faivoir Harry Skelton
Knickerbockerglory Tristan Durrell (3)
Minx Tiara Sean Flanagan
Sans Bruit Harry Cobden
Making Headway Henry Brooke
Go Dante Sean Bowen
Bashers Reflection Jack Quinlan
Bad Ben Jones
Georgi Girl Elizabeth Gale (7)
Shared Paul O’Brien
Jipcot Kielan Woods
Junkanoo Niall Houlihan
Goonhilly Charlie Todd
Lively Citizen Harry Atkins (7)

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