QASPAL can be followed with supreme confidence in the Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown.

The Philip Hobbs-trained six-year-old scraped into the valuable handicap – he needed the defection of six runners – but a nerve-jangling wait can be royally vindicated.

Legendary owner JP Mc- Manus has many exciting novices this term, but this French-bred could be the pick of the litter.

Having coolly broken his maiden at Kempton, it was hard not to have been bowled over by his return at Sandown a week later.

Although he pulled hard early doors, Qaspal soon found a beautiful rhythm and spread-eagled a solid field by upwards of two and threequarter lengths.

Such was his dominance that day, a 14lb rise seems fair enough.

Yet that penalty may not be enough to stifle further progress in Esher, where the track’s uphill finish clearly brings out the best in him – a fact which also bodes well for Cheltenham.

Ranjobaie can give the Nicky Henderson yard a pre- Cheltenham tonic by winning the EBF Paddy Power ‘‘National Hunt’’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final.

One blip at Leicester aside, the form from his three other races in Britain looks watertight.

Having been bested by Menorah and Notus De La Tour at Warwick and Plumpton respectively, Ranjobaie was then sent to Market Rasen for a qualifying round of today’s race.

Despite twice being hampered, he excelled in inflicting a three-and-a-half-length defeat on Bygones Of Brid.

As that rival has since trotted up in Grade Two company at Kelso, the worthiness of the form is there for all to see.

Flipando can enhance his Lincoln credentials by securing a crucial victory at Wolverhampton.

David Barron’s nine-yearold scorched to a five-length success here over six furlongs in February and is clearly coming to hand nicely for the williamhill.com Lincoln Trial Handicap.

Flipando won this race last year from a 4lb lower mark before finishing third in the main event on Town Moor.

Given the style of his recent triumph, few would dare back against a similar outcome with Jamie Spencer back in the saddle.

Crook trainer Howard Johnson’s patience can be rewarded with Malakai in the Blue Square’s New iPhone App Novices’ Hurdle at Market Rasen tomorrow.

A son of the great Double Trigger, he was a relatively cheap purchase at 40,000 guineas and is already looking a bargain after his first two races.

On his racecourse introduction he won a bumper at Hexham, beating a newcomer from the Alan Swinbank yard, among others, which is never an easy thing to do.

He reappeared at Wetherby in October and had no trouble winning a novice hurdle by seven lengths on good to firm ground, but still looked like a shell of a horse.

Malakai has been given plenty of time to strengthen up, the ground has come back in his favour and he should maintain his unbeaten record.