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. As an added incentive to get horses running ahead of the Cheltenham Festival, the race sponsor,currently William Hill, offers 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).
Imperial Cup Stats
Form: 6 of the last 10 winners finished in the first two last time out.
Form: 9/10 had previously won a race over the distance.
Break: The last 10 winners had their previous race between 14 and 24 days beforehand.
Trainer: The Pipe stable have won this on 4 occasions in the last decade and 9 times in all.
Jockey: AP McCoy has ridden three winners of this race in the last 12 years.
Favourite: 4 winning favourites in the last 10. 20-1 winners in 2012 and 2013.
Weight: 9/10 winners have carried 10-13 or less. 5 of the 9 carried 10-5 or less.
Age: 8 out of 10 between 4yo and 6yo
Rating: The last 8 winners were officially rated between 126 and 135.
Imperial Cup Winners 2005-2014
| YEAR | FORM | HORSE | A/G | WGT | LTO | TRAINER | JOCKEY | OR | SP |
| 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 |
