Use our key Imperial Cup trends and stats ahead of Sandown’s Saturday feature to whittle down the runners and find the best profiles based on past winners. For example, a massive 95% of the last 20 winners had won no more than twice over hurdles before.
This HUGE Imperial Cup stat only sees THREE qualifiers for Saturday’s race – see which ones they are below.
Imperial Cup Trends 2024: Key Sandown Stats To Put History On Your Side
See here the key Imperial Cup trends that you can apply to the final 16 Sandown Park runners this Saturday – which will put history in your corner and you’ll hopefully be able to knock several entries out.
- 19/20 – Had won between 1-2 times over hurdles before
- 19/20 – Had won no more than twice over hurdles before
- 18/20 – Had raced within the last 6 weeks
- 17/20 – Rated 124 or higher
- 16/20 – Carried 10-13 or less in weight
- 16/20 – Aged 6 or younger
- 13/20 – Won over at least 2m1f (hurdles) before
- 12/20 – Carried 10-7 or less in weight
- 12/20 – Winners that went onto run at the Cheltenham Festival (1 winner, Gaspara – Fred Winter, 2007)
- 11/20 – Finished in the top two last time out
- 10/20 – Aged 4 or 5 years-old
- 9/20 – Double-figure price in the betting
- 7/20 – Ran at either Cheltenham (2), Sandown (2) or Ascot (2) last time out
- 7/20 – French bred
- 6/20 – Won their last race
- 6/20 – Had raced at Sandown (hurdles) before – 2 had won there before
- 5/20 – Favourites
- 2/20 – Ridden by Harry Cobden (2 of the last 4)
- 2/20 – Trained by Paul Nicholls (2 of the last 4)
- 2/20 – Won by an Irish-trained horse
- The average winning SP in the last 20 years is 11/1
When Is The Imperial Cup 2024?
📅Time/Date: 2:25pm, Saturday 9th March 2024
🏇Racecourse: Sandown (Going: Heavy)
💰 Winner: £51,440
📺 TV: RacingTV / ITV4
NO Imperial Cup Cheltenham Bonus In 2024
Sandown’s Imperial Cup, which has always been staged on the weekend before the Cheltenham had become famous for the sponsors also stumping up a bonus should the winner go onto land ANY Festival race the following week.
This cash carrot has ranged from 50k-100k and despite Langer Dan coming close in 2021 (2nd in the Martin Pipe) – in the last 20 years only the David Pipe-trained Gaspara (2007) has landed the bonus. While prior to that, Olympian and Blowing Wind also did the double and were also both housed at the Pond House stables (Martin Pipe).
However, the 2024 sponsors Betfair are NOT waving the bonus carrot in front of the owners this year – maybe with the race now re-classified as a Class 2 Handicap – who knows?
That said, we’ve still seen 12 of the last 20 Imperial Cup winners head to the Festival in recent time. Half of the 16 Imperial Cup runners hold Cheltenham Festival entries.
Imperial Cup Runners 2024 That Hold Cheltenham Festival Entries
- Go Dante (County Hurdle, Martin Pipe)
- Bad (Coral Cup, County Hurdle, Martin Pipe)
- Making Headway (Coral Handicap, Martin Pipe)
- Faivoir (County Hurdle)
- Knickerbockerglory (County Hurdle)
- Sans Bruit (County, Martin Pipe)
- Spirit D’ Aunou (Martin Pipe, County Hurdle)
- Shared (Martin Pipe)
Respect Horses With Between 1-2 Hurdles Wins (UK/Ireland)
It can also pay to look for Imperial Cup runners that have won just 1-2 times over hurdles in the UK/Ireland – this is backed up with a huge 95% SR over the last 20 runnings.
Only THREE horses that fit the bill in 2024 – Bad, Making Headway, Junkanoo.
Based on this huge trend, then this trio are ‘must-haves’ to have on your Imperial Cup shortlists.
Look For Horses Carrying 10st 13lbs or Less in Weight
Next up is the weight carried as this is a handicap and the Imperial Cup trends tell us that 80% of the last 20 winners carried just 10st 13lbs or less.
Jipcot, Junkanoo, Goonhilly and Lively Citizen tick this stat.
Make Horses Aged 6 Or Younger Your Cut-Off Point
With 16 of the last 20 winners aged 6 or younger, this has been another good stat in finding the Imperial Cup winner in recent times.
The older runners in the race this year are Junkanoo (7), Bashers Reflection (8), Go Dante (8), Minx Tiara (9), Knickerbockerglory (8), Faivoir (9) and Metier (8).
Imperial Cup Favourites Have A Fair Record
We’ve another tight looking betting heat, so the favourite may change before the off. At this stage the Ben Pauling pair of Bad and Jipcot are prominent in the betting, along with Olly Murphy’s Go Dante.
But whichever horse ends up as the market leader with the UK betting sites has a decent trend on their side too – 25% of the last 20 jollies have won. Which is not a bad return on such a competitive race.
Trainer Paul Nicholls Has Won 2 Of The Last 4 Imperial Cups
Finally, the Imperial Cup has been associated with the Pipe boys over the years (Martin and David), but they don’t have a runner in 2024.
Dan Skelton won the race in 2021 with Langer Dan and tries again with Goonhilly, Knickerbockerglory and last year’s County Hurdle winner Faivoir.
However, it’s Skelton’s old boss who has been doing well in the race in recent years – Paul Nicholls has won two of the last four renewals, including 12 months ago.
The Ditcheat man runs Sans Bruit, who will be ridden by Harry Cobden – the rider of both Nicholls’ previous Imperial Cup winners.
Imperial Cup 2024 Betting Odds and Runners
See below the latest Imperial Cup odds from the best UK horse racing betting sites.
- Jipcot 5/1
- Go Dante 11/2
- Bad 6/1
- Making Headway 7/1
- Faivoir 10/1
- Knickerbockerglory
- Sans Bruit 10/1
- Spirit D’Aunou
- Georgi Girl
- Junkanoo 16/1
- Metier 16/1
- Bashers Reflection 25/1
- Minx Tiara 25/1
- Lively Citizen 33/1
- Shared 33/1
- Goonhilly 50/1
- Note: Odds are subject to change
Imperial Cup Winners (Last 10 Years)
2023 – ICEO (5/1)
2022 – SURPRISE PACKAGE (20/1)
2021 – LANGER DAN (5/1)
2020 – Abandoned
2019 – MALAYA (7/1)
2018 – MR ANTOLINI (20/1)
2017 – LONDON PRIZE (10/1)
2016 – FLYING ANGEL (9/1)
2015 – EBONY EXPRESS (33/1)
2014 – BALTIMORE ROCK (7/1)
2013 – FIRST AVENUE (20/1)
WATCH: ICEO Winning The 2023 Imperial Cup
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