racing_news/

Paintball Splatters Imperial Cup Rivals
10/03/12

1 Paintball 20/1
2 Nampour 11/1
3 Sire De Grugy 10/1
4 Rowan Tiger 33/1
24 ran Distances: 4½l, 4½l, nk
TIME 3m 55.60s (slow by 10.60s)

Charlie Longsdon's most prolific season so far has now delivered a first major winner as a back-to-form Paintball ran away with the Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown.

Paintball
© Racehorse Photos

After establishing himself among the most promising of the younger trainers, phase two of Longsdon's plan is to start achieving at the big meetings and with Paintball (20-1) now qualified for a £75,000 bonus if he makes the cut at Cheltenham next week, he has the chance of quickly ticking something else off the to-do list.

The Listed handicap hurdle had been on Paintball's agenda since he was given a breathing operation in December and after creeping along in mid-division for Noel Fehily, he hit the front at the last and steamed four and a half lengths clear of long-time leader Nampour.

"We had a nice winner in the Doncaster Sales bumper at Newbury last weekend but this betters it," said Longsdon, whose current total of 57 winners has easily exceeded his best from five previous seasons with a licence.

"We can go into Cheltenham with a smile on our faces now. We've had plenty of winners but we haven't had the big Saturday winners yet, so I'm delighted."

Paintball was too immature in last year's Fred Winter at Cheltenham and Longsdon added: "He was doing too much in the first half of that race but went and won there in April. He wasn't finishing off his races this season so we gave him the breathing operation.

"Noel said he felt a different horse to the one he rode in November. He won this off 128 and with his (5lb) penalty he'd be borderline to get into the County Hurdle. If he's OK, you'd have to go for it."

Position	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	Starting Price Beaten Distance
1	Paintball C E Longsdon	N Fehily 10st 7lbs	20 - 1 Winner
2	Nampour C L Tizzard	T J O'Brien 10st 4lbs	11 - 1 4 1/2 lengths
3	Sire De Grugy G L Moore	J E Moore 11st 12lbs	10 - 1 4 1/2 lengths
4	Rowan Tiger Dr R D P Newland	Jack Quinlan 10st 1lbs	33 - 1 Neck
5	Chesil Beach Boy M J Coombe	Mrs M Roberts 10st 8lbs	25 - 1 1 1/4 length
6	Johns Spirit Jonjo O'Neill	A P McCoy 10st 9lbs	12 - 1 Neck
7	Devil To Pay A King	R Thornton 10st 7lbs	10 - 1 Head
8	Ted Spread P F Nicholls	R Walsh 11st 0lbs	3 - 1 2 1/4 lengths
9	First In The Queue N J Henderson	A Tinkler 10st 8lbs	33 - 1 2 lengths
10	Torphichen A King	W Hutchinson 11st 6lbs	50 - 1 1 3/4 length
11	Ile De Re Ian Williams	Harry Skelton 10st 3lbs	8 - 1 Head
12	Pateese P J Hobbs	R Johnson 11st 1lbs	25 - 1 10 lengths
13	El Dancer Mrs L Wadham	D Elsworth 10st 2lbs	40 - 1 2 lengths
14	Lucaindubai Evan Williams	Paul Moloney 10st 6lbs	33 - 1 3 lengths
15	Celtus N J Henderson	B J Geraghty 10st 9lbs	12 - 1 Short Head
16	Pascha Bere N J Gifford	L Treadwell 10st 8lbs	50 - 1 8 lengths
17	Art Professor Miss V Williams	Aidan Coleman 10st 11lbs	20 - 1 11 lengths
18	Grafite B G Powell	Brendan Powell 10st 5lbs	100 - 1 2 lengths
19	Swift Lord G L Moore	Joshua Moore 10st 11lbs	40 - 1 2 1/4 lengths
20	Ascendant A Reid	Felix de Giles 10st 7lbs	100 - 1 9 lengths
21	Master of Arts D Pipe	T Scudamore 11st 0lbs	8 - 1 25 lengths
22	Ciceron Miss V Williams	S Thomas 11st 0lbs	25 - 1 3 lengths
23	Monetary Fund Miss V Williams	R T Dunne 10st 6lbs	100 - 1 11 lengths
Fell	Zanir G McPherson	S Twiston-Davies 10st 9lbs	50 - 1