BEN Pauling appears to have a good grip on this afternoon’s Betfair Imperial Cup at Sandown, according to the market. Two runners, two joint-favourites.

You can’t not like Bad. Second in the Gerry Feilden Hurdle at Newbury’s Coral Gold Cup meeting in December, he looked set to land a good handicap hurdle at Ascot last month, fresh back after a wind operation and cheekpieces on for the first time, but he just couldn’t get past Mothill. Or, if he did, just, at the final flight, he just gave best when Mothill battled back.