Sandown: Ashkazar in Imperial form

Another bonus on cards for Pipe winner while McCoy declares himself fit for the Festival

If it's the Saturday before Cheltenham at Sandown, it must be a winner for a trainer named Pipe. Father Martin won the valuable Imperial Cup six times during his career, and yesterday son David made it two in as many years when Ashkazar, the 100-30 favourite, turned the competitive handicap into a one-horse tour de force.

The four-year-old, ridden by Timmy Murphy in David Johnson's colours, made every yard of the running and sealed his three-and-a-half-length victorywith extravagant leaps at the last two hurdles. It was an extraordinary performance off a mark of 135 by one of his tender years, and full of raw, thrilling promise for the future.

In the long term, the son of Sadler's Wells seems a chaser in the making; though bred for the Flat, he is a huge, scopey individual. More immediately, he has a lucrative bonus in his sights this week, the £75,000 put up by yesterday's sponsors, Sunderlands, if the winner can follow up at the Festival.

It has already been secured by the Nicholashayne team three times, twice under the former regime and last year by Gaspara, who added the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle. Ashkazar has the option of that same race on Tuesday's opening day, or the Triumph Hurdle on Friday, or both.

"We'll see how he comes out of this race," said Pipe Jnr, "and then decide where to go. He's very much a horse for the future, so we'll let him tell us how he is. I thought Timmy gave him a great ride; nothing wanted to go on so he took the initiative and judged it superbly."

Tony McCoy, racing for the first time since damaging his back in a fall at Warwick two months ago, had to be content with a fifth place on Rapid Increase in the opener and 13th on Tarlac in the Imperial Cup.

Afterwards, he declared himself fighting fit for the Festival. "That was good," he said. "I feel grand and am happy to be back riding again. It's frustrating being out but I've made a good recovery, and I would not be back if I wasn't ready. I'm not here to make up the numbers." The 12-times champion has two rides at Hereford today.

Twenty horses still remain in Friday's Gold Cup after yesterday's penultimate declaration stage, including Afistfullofdollars. The Noel Meade-trained 10-year-old was supplemented at a cost of £22,500, a decision promptedby a six-length victory last month at Fairyhouse on only his fourth start over fences.

Kauto Star, the defending champion, and Denman dominate the betting. Third favourite is last year's runner-up Exotic Dancer, given his final serious workout yesterday by McCoy. "He felt great, as good as he's ever been," said the Ulsterman.

With gale-force winds forecast for tomorrow, Cheltenham – where a huge tented village supplements accommodation in the grandstand – is having its hatches battened down. "We are taking down the wings of the fences temporarily and making sure everything that could be blown away is extra secure," said clerk of the course Simon Claisse.