Salut Flo has been installed a 6/1 joint favourite with Sky Bet at the six-day stage to continue the fine record of the Pipe family in the Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown on Saturday.
The unexposed French import won over fences on his British debut at Doncaster last time and could be joined in the field by stablemate Hunterview, an expensive purchase of the Flat from the Michael Jarvis yard.
Sky Bet rate the latter, who broke his duck over hurdles at Warwick last time, a 7/1 chance to give David Pipe his third win in the last four years in the pre Cheltenham highlight.
The new master at Pond House was denied a hat-trick last year when his Seven is My Number finished runner-up to the Nicky Henderson-trained Dave’s Dream.
Matt Doyle of Sky Bet said: ‘First with Martin Pipe, and now with son David, the Pond House raiders are the ones we fear most when pricing up the race and their record speaks for itself with eight winners between them.’
‘However, they usually go there mob-handed and it is unusual to see the yard relying on just two entries this year with talking horse Notus de la Tour saved for Cheltenham.’
The sponsors are also offering a £50,000 bonus to the winner if he can follow up in any race at the Cheltenham Festival and both Pipe entries are doubly engaged at the Festival.
Hunterview was gambled on today into 9/1 from 12s with Sky Bet for the Fred Winter and is a 40/1 chance for the Triumph Hurdle, while Salut Flo is a 14/1 chance for the Jewson and 12/1 for the Grand Annual.
The Pipes have collected the bonus three times with Olympian (1993), Blowing Wind (1998) and Gaspara (2007) while two years ago Pipe jnr also went very close with Ashkazar, who met his match in Crack Away Jack in the Fred Winter.
Qaspal is Sky Bet’s other market leader in the Imperial Cup betting at 6/1 to complete a hat-trick for Philip Hobbs and owner JP McManus, whose 7/1 shot Bellvano is also prominent in their lists.
Paddy Power Imperial Cup, Sky Bet betting:
6/1 Salut Flo, Qaspal, 7/1 Hunterview, Bellvano, Pepe Simo, 8/1 Eradicate, 12/1 Aather, Caravel, 14/1 Sway, Tocca Fero, 16/1 Fairyland, Tender Falcon, Oldrik, Mohayer,18/1 Wade Farm Billy, 20/1 Pascha Bere, Chaninbar, Press The Button, Stradbrook, Cheshire Prince, 25/1 Pistolet Noir, El Dancer, Keki Buku, Border Castle, Danis Girl, Dontpaytheferryman, 28/1 Katies Tutor, Treaty Flyer, 33/1 Callisto Moon, Numide, Mon Michel, Helium, Tilt, Quartano, Sambulando, Son of Flicka, Beau Fighter, Cool Touch, Kanad, 66/1 War Party
Each-way terms ¼ odds 1,2,3,4
