RACING: Nicky Henderson will rely on Dancing Bay in the Sunderlands Imperial Cup after bypassing today's Sandown feature with Non So.
Trainer Nicky Henderson decided against running Non So in the £50,000-added contest, for which he was 6 to 1 second favourite, as he would have been burdened with top weight.
"The horse would have had 11st 12lb and I just didn't want him to carry it," said the Seven Barrows trainer yesterday. Non So, winner of the Tote Scoop6 Lanzarote Hurdle and runner-up in the Tote Gold Trophy last month, will be saved for the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle, the closing event at the Cheltenham Festival next Thursday.
But Henderson will be represented in the Imperial Cup by Dancing Bay, whose only defeat in three starts this term came when fourth to Smurfit Champion Hurdle favourite Rhinestone Cowboy at Wetherby five weeks ago. "He's fine," added Henderson. "He's in good form and will appreciate cut in the ground."
The likely short-priced favourite is Korelo, one of four horses declared by Martin Pipe from an original 13-strong entry. If successful, Korelo will be eligible for a £60,000 bonus if he wins at the Festival, at which he is engaged in the Coral Cup next Wednesday.
Irish interests in the event are represented by True Blue Victory (Ted Walsh), Newhall (Francis Flood) and Janidou (Arthur Moore).
However, Hawadeth is taken to land the race at attractive odds.Victor Dartnall's charge has been knocking at the door in this season's valuable handicap hurdle races and it could be a case of third time lucky today.
It was at this track and over this trip back in December that the useful Machiavellian gelding showed signs of running into form when finishing third to Spirit Leader in the Listed William Hill Handicap Hurdle.
