Watch Alarazi win the Imperial Cup on RPTV

Report: Sandown, Saturday

Paddy Power Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (Listed) 2m, 4yo+

THE Lucy Wadham-trained Alarazi ran out a brilliant winner of the Imperial Cup at Sandown, for which he was backed downto 10-1 after being tipped by the Racing Post’s Pricewise service.

He was immediately cut to 6-1 (from 33) by William Hill for the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle, although he is backable at as big as 12-1 (from 33) with Boylesports. Alarazi also holds an entry in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Wadham said: “He’s a Group 3 horse on the Flat so he has a very high cruising speed and racing in handicaps is easier for him because he is settling on a faster pace.

“He enjoyed the slightly better ground and we would certainly like to go for the bonus, but it depends whether we get in – we would prefer the County Hurdle to the Martin Pipe.”

Winning connections

  PICTURE: Mark Cranham  

Winning jockey Dominic Elsworth added: “He does travel very well, this horse. He has stepped up to a better class, they go a better gallop in it, end-to-end all the way, and that suited him. This is a horse who is going to jump a fence one day.”

It was an ultra-competitive renewal of the Imperial Cup, many of the horses here because sponsor Paddy Power offer an enticing £75,000bonus to the connections of an Imperial Cup winner who goes on to land any Cheltenham Festival race.

Consequently there was no hanging about as the tape was raised – although only after the urgency of the jockeys and horses caused a stretch of white rail to be trampled under their hooves before the start, holding up affairs as ground staff made hurried repairs.

Under way, they were led by Ultimate and Arrayan – one of two representatives of the David Pipe stable, who have been so successful at this meeting – as the field began the 2m½f route at hurricane pace.

There was no respite for those struggling to go the pace, but at the one mile point Lucaindubai, Cheshire Prince and Drill Sergeant were all making ground on the leaders and threatening to set up a fully loaded finish.

But it was two others – Via Galilei and Alarazi – who came to the home straight going best, and once Jamie Moore’s arms began to pump more vigorously onboard Via Galilei the race was decided.

Alarazi clipped the last but never broke stride, going further and further clear on the run-in and coming home two and three-quarter lengths ahead of 7-1 joint favourite Via Galilei. Pateese finished third at 16-1, Lucaindubai was fourth at 25-1 and Ultimate, also 25-1, was fifth.