ROBIN - Sandown - Imperial Cup - Handicap Hurdle - 2 miles - 18 run - Heavy

 

Very much echoing the thoughts above, very attritional conditions.

 

At the head of the market it's hard to oppose ICEO and GIVEGA but in the conditions you'd ideally want a tilt a bit against the market. A few look exposed off marks earned with good wins but on better ground and would include Fine Casting , Punctuation and Monviel. Man O'Work is in the Tracker on irish form and would have an outsiders chance, Soaring Glory had some excellent big field handicap form in 2021 and would be a big danger IF reviving and wasn't actually discarded until the final cut. Djelo looks to be on a mark currently too high and Knickerbocker Glory may just need the run back over hurdles. Metier just missed the cut too with top weight to lug around but would be main danger to my selections on pure analysis. 

 

There are 3 that stood out in the conditions for me, ZOFFANY BAY looks the best of the Fahey options and ran very well after a long break on reappearance , likely laid out for this and will be hard to beat of not bouncing. HARDY DU SEUIL would be an each way banker in my eyes a Course and Distance winner off 124, stamina proven at this trip and actually further and just looks to have the best chance it'll have to pick up a prize like this. The final one is a TRACKER horse at a shortish price  in PLAYFUL SAINT who also looks very solid.

 

TIPS (1) Zoffany Bay / (2) Hardy Du Seuil / (3) Playful Saint