ITV Racing Tips: Friday Night Light set to shine in Imperial Cup
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The Cheltenham Festival may only be a few days away, but there’s still plenty of action to enjoy this weekend on ITV4.
A six-race card from Sandown and Wolverhampton features the Group 3 Imperial Cup Hurdle and the Lincoln Trial Handicap in preparation for the new flat season.
With selections for those races and the other four, it’s our ITV Racing tips…
There’s not a great deal of form to go off in the Lady Wulfruna stakes at 3:15pm. So it should be dual Listed winner Second Thought’s race to lose if all goes to plan over 1m on the tapeta surface.
William Haggas’ runner impressed in the Hyde Stakes at Kempton in November to maintain an unbeaten all-weather record. That – alongside the jockey booking of Ryan Moore – should be enough to see the four-year-old hack up in what appears to be a field short on genuine quality.
There’s not a great deal of impressive form on show in this 3m handicap chase. And that could be music to the ears of Charlie Longsdon and Pete The Feat.
All four of the 14-year-old’s runs this season have come over the distance, with three of those at Sandown. He’s performed admirably, too.
The Irish-bred raider took home the John Dunsdon Memorial Cup ahead of Shanroe Santos in December. That was followed up by a close second to Buywise in Veterans’ Handicap Chase in January.
The gelding was pulled up at Exeter last time out. But back in familiar territory at Sandown and at a distance and standard he loves, Pete The Feat makes a tremendous amount of appeal.
The Pipe family have an excellent record in this race. Father Martin trained the winner on seven occasions, while son David has three victories to his name.
With that in mind, progressive six-year-old Friday Night Light deserves a lot of attention.
The French-bred raider has yet to finish outside of the places this season and has the quality to step up into Graded company here. He’s been treated kindly by the handicapper among the leading contenders and looks set to get his favoured soft ground.
With the variables in his favour, we’re expecting the son of Air Chief Marshall to run a big race.
ITV Racing Tips:
1:50 Sandown – Melrose Boy
2:05 Wolverhampton – Constantino
2:25 Sandown – Friday Night Light (Lively Longshot)
3:00 Sandown – Aimee De Sivola
3:15 Wolverhampton – Second Thought (NAP)
3:35 Sandown – Pete The Feat (NB)
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All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
