Weekend racing preview: Imperial Cup the highlight before Cheltenham Festival begins

We have previewed the pick of the action and you can find the latest odds on Betfair.

With an off time of 2.25pm, the two-mile Betfair Imperial Cup headlines the racing action at the Esher venue.

Dan and Harry Skelton team up here with the 9/2 favourite Playful Saint. He impressed when powering to victory at Leicester last time out and had previously filled second to Mares’ Hurdle contender Love Envoi at Sandown.

The Harry Fry-trained Metier (13/2) is a former Tolworth Hurdle winner and he bids to regain the winning thread here. He loves testing ground and landed a competitive event at February last season and also scored on heavy ground on the Flat in November at Doncaster.

Peter Fahey won this event 12 months ago with Surprise Package and he has an interesting runner in the shape of Zoffany Bay (7/1). He caught the eye in no uncertain terms in defeat on his debut for the yard at Ascot, having previously been a Listed winner in France.

Monviel (15/2) was far from disgraced when fifth in the Betfair Hurdle, but was a well-beaten eighth in this event 12 months ago. Givega is an interesting runner for Gary Moore and could make appeal at 8/1. He is a three-time winner this term and is related to the mighty Quevega. His only disappointment did come on heavy ground in Graded company at Warwick, but it was much more like it at Sandown last time out when he impressed with the manner in which he quickened up to score.

Paul Nicholls’ Iceo (8/1), Man O Work (9/1), Soaring Glory (10/1) and course and distance scorer Hardy Du Seuil (12/1) are others to note.

Elsewhere on the card, the £80,000 European Breeders' Fund Betfair 'National Hunt' Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final (1.50pm) over two and a half-miles looks an excellent event which is deep on quality.

Cuthbert Dibble is the current 9/2 favourite having scored by 19 lengths at Leicester last time out. He is open to all sorts of improvement and has to be respected.

Paul Nicholls has three runners, headed by Henri The Second (7/1). He impressed at Sandown when landing a Graded event in December, but has suffered the defeat the last twice. Hugos New Horse (10/1), a winner of four of his five starts over hurdles and Twin Power (12/1), successful at Sandown in February, complete Nicholls’ triumvirate.

Nick Gifford has Churchills Boy (8/1), but he will need to improve based on all known form so far. A winner of a Chepstow bumper in February, he backed up victory at Plumpton in December with a narrow victory at Fontwell on his latest start.

Crambo disappointed in the Challow Hurdle, but showed the benefit of wind surgery when scoring at Bangor last time out. He is a current 5/1 chance and open to more improvement, as is Twinjets (15/2) who filled second to Twin Power last time out, but does have a liking for soft ground.

Etalan (8/1), a winner at Wetherby in January and Inneston (11/1), successful at Sandown last month, are others to note.

ITV Racing Selections

1.30pm Wolverhampton - Silky Wilkie

1.50pm Sandown - Inneston

2.05pm Wolverhampton - Alrehb

2.25pm Sandown - Givega

2.40pm Wolverhampton - Dhabab

3.00pm Sandown - Goodtimecrew

3.35pm Sandown - Easy As That