The trainer hoping 'middleweight boxer' can punch above his weight at Sandown

Trainer David Jeffreys is resigned to Lively Citizen missing out on a shot at Cheltenham Festival glory but hopes his stable star can provide valuable compensation in the Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown on Saturday (2.25).

Even with a 5lb penalty for winning the Grade 3 on top of his current rating of 121, Lively Citizen is a near-certainty to miss out on the County Hurdle at Cheltenham as he is bottom of the 81 remaining entries, even though he is as short as 14-1 for the race.

While Jeffreys' Cheltenham dream is set to be over before it has started, he is relishing a crack at the Imperial Cup, for which Lively Citizen is one of 35 entries and a general 16-1 shot.

He said: "He's in tremendous form at home and looks likely to run as he has a good chance of getting in on Saturday. The horse who won at Cheltenham [Cormier] when Lively Citizen's saddle slipped went on to win the Morebattle Hurdle last Saturday, so that's serious form.

"For a young guy like myself he's a joy to have. He's a proper middleweight boxer who always puts his neck on the line for you."

David Jeffreys: 'The County is the dream but it doesn't look all that realistic'Credit: Edward Whitaker

The seven-year-old has a fine record at Cheltenham, with two wins and a second from four starts, but now looks set to be targeted at Aintree's Grand National meeting.

His trainer said: "It's nuts. You look at the bottomweight Belfast Banter last year – he went on to win a Grade 1. It's crazy.

"The larger trainers can run well-handicapped horses off around the 150 mark and keep the weights down for the ones they might run at the bottom, which I would do if I was in their position.

"It's more realistic for us that we'll go to the Imperial Cup and then for the conditional jockeys' race at Aintree. The County is the dream, but it doesn't look all that realistic. But it's definitely something we'll aim for if we can."

2.25 Sandown: Paddy Power Imperial Cup entries and betting

Last year's Imperial Cup winner Langer Dan has been entered for Sandown and would be a leading fancy, though he could go straight to Cheltenham, where he would be bidding to improve on last year's second in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle, for which he is disputing favouritism.

Trainer Dan Skelton said: "It's just an entry for now, there's absolutely no plan at the moment."

Unlike last year, there is no £50,000 bonus on offer from Paddy Power should the Imperial Cup winner follow up at the Cheltenham Festival.

Spokesperson Paul Binfield said: "We've made a pledge to invest and help drive the long-term sustainable growth of the horseracing industry and we remain more committed than ever to that promise.

"But we have to spend wisely in order to effect change for the greater good of racing when it comes to improving field sizes and competitiveness more generally across the board."

Imperial Cup (2.25 Sandown, Saturday)

bet365: 11-2 Langer Dan, 5 Anyharminasking, 7 Balco Coastal, Carrarea, 8 Onemorefortheroad, History Bere, 10 Samarrive, Mr Grey Sky, Monviel, 12 bar

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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday