Imperial Leader is set to take his chance in the EBF paddypower.com Final at Sandown on Saturday week before running in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained five-year-old also holds an entry in the Coral Cup but is unlikely to make the cut in that race. After winning on his hurdling debut at Southwell, he finished a close fourth in a hot novices' hurdle at Cheltenham before a third at Newbury last time out.

Paul Costello, syndicate manager for his owners, the Imperial Racing Partnership, said: "Imperial Leader will be running in the EBF Final before hopefully heading to the Festival.

"Hopefully he'll go close at Sandown, if not win.
"He's in the Martin Pipe and the Coral, but the way the weights are we are probably going for the Martin Pipe.
"His form is pretty strong - he was fourth at Cheltenham in a novices' hurdle won by Melodic Rendezvous - and he'll improve for the better ground."

Imperial Commander out of the gold cup due to a lung infection. Bad luck for connections, although there is the chance he could be OK for Aintree. If he is, it might just turn into good luck for connections, because tbh I couldn't see him in the first 3 at Cheltenham, but he has a real chance in the national if he goes there fresh.

Thought as much.bad luck.

Hi Bobby,

I believe a decision is expected this Saturday? I seem to remember you rightly saying as it happened IC  wasn't that keen on Aintree. Do you think it might take to the National though? Best of luck if you go for the big one and hope that if you do he keeps pulling out more at the business end as he may be there to be shot at with the weight. It would be a tremendous performance if he can carry it off. I know you will make the right choice for the horse and it's safety. Good luck! Brian.

He definately goes I've just seen the preview and it is confirmed.

Imperial_Racing ‏@Imperial_Racing 4m

BREAKING NEWS - Imperial Commander now confirmed to run of top weight in the Grand National live on @Racing_UK 16/1 best priced

sweaty sock- Go to jp festival or imperial racing and the vid may still be up

Back in one piece at least. Couldn't really agree with Sam's assessment that he jumped brilliantly, but hopefully now a happy retirement with lots of good memories.

GOLD Cup hero Imperial Commander will be retired after his next race to bring an end to one of the most successful careers in racing.

Ian Robinson, co-owner and spokesman for the Our Friends In The North syndicate, said the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury tomorrow week would be his swansong.

Now aged 12, Imperial Commander has been one of the best horses ever trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies at his top stable in Guiting Power, providing him with his first Gold Cup success three years ago.

He raced only twice last season because of training setbacks, finishing a close second at Cheltenham and being pulled up in the Grand National in April.

Robinson said he and the other members of the syndicate agreed that he wouldn't race again after the Hennessy – one of the most famous prizes in the sport – in which he is expected to be partnered by regular rider Paddy Brennan.

"I think it's safe to say the Hennessy will be his last race," said Robinson.

"He had a little bit of a niggle before he went out in the summer and he's come back in looking grand and really well.

"But he is 12 after all and we've got no desire to race him as a 13-year-old, so basically we decided to give him one last hurrah.

"He's still enjoying himself and he's a happy horse, but I think the Hennessy will be it.

"There's nothing more for him after that and we certainly have no intention of running him in the new year.

"All the owners are 100 per cent behind the fact it should be his last race."

Imperial Commander burst on to the racing scene when easily winning on his debut, under David England in a bumper at Cheltenham in October 2006.

After winning only one of his five races over hurdles, he went on to prove himself one of the best horses of his generation over fences.

He stormed to victory in the 2008 Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Ryanair Chase at the 2009 Festival, both times ridden by Brennan.

He gained his most famous success in the 2010 Gold Cup, which he had controversially been billed as match between Kauto Star and Denman.

But Imperial Commander and Brennan gained the day, beating Denman by seven lengths after Kauto Star suffered a crashing fall.

Imperial Commander has won eight of his 21 races and more than £700,000 in prize-money and Robinson said he would never have another horse like him.

"He owes us nothing and he's taken us to places most people only dream of going," he said.

"People spend fortunes and haven't been to places where we've been."

Not sad, superb to have one last chance to see the mighty Commander run in a great race, you never know.......!

If he reproduces his first run of last year he could well win this. Nigel seems very bullish.

That's twice he has looked like an ex boxing champ coming back to the ring, putting up a show, then taking a fall to avoid getting hit. Not the horse's fault by any means. Great in his time but for me it's a shame his career petered out like that. Hope he has a happy retirement.

Just for Dessie