News Friday Night Light puts Cheltenham hopes on the line in Sandown's Imperial Cup

Friday Night Light puts Cheltenham hopes on the line in Sandown's Imperial Cup

racing

Friday Night Light could try to book a last-minute ticket to the Cheltenham Festival with victory in Saturday's Matchbook Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle at Sandown.

The five-year-old has won one of his five hurdles outings for David Pipe, but has been placed on the other five occasions and his trainer believes he can handle the likely ground at the Esher track.

He told www.davidpipe.com: "Improving novice Friday Night Light is an intended runner in the Imperial Cup at Sandown on Saturday and he will handle the prevailing testing conditions.

"He could well go to Cheltenham the following week, but would need to win at Sandown to have a chance to get in one of the handicaps under a penalty."

Friday Night Light is entered in both the County Hurdle and the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at the Festival.