Imperial Cup-Cheltenham double attempt was once commonplace - could it be on the cards again this season?

In years gone by the Imperial Cup could almost have been considered the first handicap of Cheltenham, with the incentive of a cash bonus for following up at the festival meaning many horses had been laid out for this week all season and would arrive at Sandown handicapped well enough to pull off the double. That gratuity no longer exists and is instead reserved for Kelso’s Morebattle Hurdle run last weekend, yet the moniker might still stick.

Of the 16 runners, half have a festival handicap entry next week. Faivoir, Knickerbockerglory and Shared have one, Go Dante, Making Headway, Sans Bruit and Spirit D’Aunou are doubly entered, and Ben Pauling still has Bad engaged in three handicaps.

However, for those rated in the 120s (Bad, Go Dante, Making Headway and Shared), even a mandatory winner’s penalty would leave them vulnerable to being balloted out.