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13 April 2012

Iznogoud can crown yet another championship winning season for the relentless Martin Pipe at Sandown tomorrow by landing the inaugural running of the Betfred Gold Cup.

Scroll down the field for this £150,000 handicap and it doesn't take long to realise that there are plenty of horses with serious questions to answer.

The 2002 Grand National runner-up What's Up Boys showed very little sparkle when he returned to Aintree three weeks ago, while Stormez got miles behind before staying on for second in this race last year and ruined his chance with another bone idle performance in the Scottish National last week.

Rule Supreme's SunAlliance Chase win proved he has more than enough ability to figure in a race like this. His tendency to clout fences is a major worry round this unforgiving circuit, though, while Puntal went well for a long way in the National but has to be rated a doubtful stayer based on his overall profile.

Haut Cercy looked a prime contender for a big handicap until letting his followers down badly when strongly fancied for the William Hill Chase at Cheltenham last month.

He's surely much better than that laboured effort suggests, while Shardam, Montayral and the Sandown specialist Kings Mistral will also come into the reckoning if they can recapture their very best form.

However, after much deliberation the last major chase of the jumps season looks ripe for an each-way bet on Iznogoud.

Granted, it can be argued that this eight-year-old has yet to show his very best form over three miles five furlongs, though he did run very well for fifth in a stronger renewal of this race last season at a time when he didn't seem in anything like his best form.

This season didn't get off to a flyer for Iznogoud, either, but he found his form with a vengeance at Kempton in February and followed up with two even better efforts in the Racing Post Chase at the same venue and the Mildmay of Flete Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

An early fall over the big fences in the Topham Chase at Aintree last time came as an anti-climax for those who sent him off as second favourite, but his jumping has looked assured overall this season.

In short, Iznogoud is a proven force in good handicaps from a yard who are enjoying a storming finish to the season.

He's far from harshly treated after his good form over the last two months and, at 12-1 or thereabouts, it's well worth taking a chance on his stamina holding out once the pressure intensifies from the home turn.

Sandown regulars who prefer the Flat to jumping will be licking their lips in anticipation of an excellent renewal of the betfred.com Mile, which pits the high-class filly Soviet Song against a field which includes last year's Derby fourth Norse Dancer and the Lincoln winner Babodana.

Last year's Irish 2000 Guineas hero Indian Haven and the smart Italian import Salselon add further spice to a cracking contest, but Sublimity is the best bet as he bids to confirm himself one of the most progressive milers around.

Sir Michael Stoute's colt travelled like a winner throughout before quickening clear of Gateman in the Doncaster Mile on his reappearance last month.

The runner-up franked the form by winning the Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket last week and, with further improvement on the cards, the lightly-raced Sublimity (2.55) can boost it again tomorrow.

Cunningham's pick
1 . . . Iznogoud (e/w)
2 . . .Shardam
3. . . . Haut Cercy
4 . . . Montayral

GRAHAM CUNNINGHAM continued his winning ways yesterday when his three selections, Monets Garden (evens), Imperialistic (9-4 ) and Vantage (10-11), all won.

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