Talking Horses: Zoffany Bay can land first blow for Irish on Cheltenham eve

T he valuable Imperial Cup card at Sandown on Saturday afternoon is subject to an 8am morning inspection after nearly an inch of rain since Tuesday, with Andrew Cooper, the clerk of the course, describing the situation as “difficult” on Friday, “with challenges on potentially two fronts as we’re also forecast a sudden, sharp frost tonight”.

If the elements are kind, however, there is an excellent pre-Cheltenham card in prospect, with an 18-runner field declared for the William Hill Imperial Cup, which offers a £100,000 bonus if the winner can follow up at Cheltenham next week.

Peter Fahey’s Suprise Package, the only Irish-trained runner in a 22-strong field, ran out an easy winner 12 months ago and Fahey has a very similar type for this year’s renewal in Zoffany Bay (2.25).

The 10-year-old was off the track for nearly two years after a win at Auteuil for his previous trainer, David Cottin, but looked to retain all his ability when second to a useful opponent at Ascot last month. That form leaves him looking dangerously well-weighted on just a 3lb higher mark and Zoffany Bay should also find some improvement as Fahey looks to make up for lost time.

Wolverhampton 1.30 Billy Loughnane, the leading apprentice on the all-weather this winter, is already back among the winners after returning from a working holiday in the US and in a tight handicap, his 5lb claim on Baldomero could make all the difference.

Sandown 1.50 A typically strong renewal of this valuable novice event, in which handicap-debutant Etalon is perhaps the pick of the prices at around 9-1 to follow up an easy win in the Wetherby qualifier.

Wolverhampton 2.05 Several runners arrive with useful form to their name already this winter, but that could leave Eilea