Prior to the launch of the Champion Hurdle in 1927 the Imperial Cup was considered the most prestigous hurdle race of the National Hunt season. The race is now run at Sandown racecourse as a listed handicap over an extended two miles.
The race takes place on the Saturday before the Cheltenham Festival. In recent seasons as an added incentive to get horses running ahead of the Cheltenham Festival, the race sponsor offered a bonus if the winner can double up in any race at the big meeting. The Pipe stable have a great record in this race (and securing the bonus). Horses who have won here and at the festival include Olympian (who won the 1993 Coral Cup at Cheltenham), Blowing Wind (1998 County Hurdle) and Gaspara (2007 Fred Winter Hurdle). Thie 2016 sponsor – banking group Close Brothers – have not offered a bonus this year. Some commentators have see irony in this !
Imperial Cup Stats
Form: 6 of the last 11 winners finished in the first two last time out.
Form: 9/11 had previously won a race over the distance.
Break: The last 11 winners had their previous race between 14 and 28 days beforehand.
Trainer: The Pipe stable have won this on 4 occasions in the last 11 years and 9 times in all.
Favourite: 4 winning favourites in the last 11. 20-1 winners in 2012 and 2013. 33s last year.
Weight: 10/11 winners have carried 10-13 or less. 5 of the 10 carried 10-5 or less.
Age: 9 out of 11 between 4yo and 6yo
Rating: The last 9 winners were officially rated between 126 and 135.
Imperial Cup Winners 2005-2015
| YEAR | FORM | HORSE | A/G | WGT | LTO | TRAINER | JOCKEY | OR | SP |
| 2015 | 116U | Ebony Express | 6g | 10-7 | 28 | Dr R Newland | W Kennedy | 131 | 33-1 |
| 2014 | 3121 | Baltimore Rock (D) | 5g | 10-12 | 17 | D Pipe | L Treadwell | 133 | 7-1 |
| 2013 | 3F5 | First Avenue (D) | 5g | 10-7 | 16 | Mrs L J Mongan | N Adams | 130 | 20-1 |
| 2012 | 537 | Paintball (Ire) (D) | 5g | 10-7 | 92 | CE Longsdon | N Fehily | 128 | 20-1 |
| 2011 | 322 | Alarazi (Ire) (D) | 7g | 10-3 | 42 | Mrs L Wadham | D Elsworth | 126 | 10-1 |
| 2010 | 611 | Qaspal (Fr) (CD) | 6g | 10-3 | 22 | PJ Hobbs | AP McCoy | 124 | 11-4F |
| 2009 | 548 | Dave’s Dream (Ire) (D) | 6g | 10-13 | 21 | NJ Henderson | BJ Geraghty | 130 | 12-1 |
| 2008 | 141 | Ashkazar (Fr) (CD) | 4g | 10-12 | 34 | D Pipe | TJ Murphy | 135 | 10-3F |
| 2007 | 211 | Gaspara (Fr) | 4m | 10-5 | 36 | D Pipe | AP McCoy | 126 | 11-4F |
| 2006 | 13P | Victram (Ire) (D) | 6h | 10-3 | 56 | A McGuinness | AE Lynch | 114 | 8-1 |
| 2005 | 311 | Medison (Fr) (D) | 5g | 10-1 | 9 | MC Pipe | TJ Murphy | 118 | 9-2F |
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