IT IS the calm before the Cheltenham Festival storm, but there is still some tidy racing this afternoon, headed of course by the Imperial Cup card at Sandown Park, with the feature race due off at 2.25.

CALL ME LORD (nb) blew out at Wincanton last time out, but that was a much better race than this and he was strangely taken up the inside that day when the best ground was undoubtedly further away from the rails.

Two outings back off a mark of 143, he has a further 9lbs to carry here in the ratings. But he’s a big, scopey individual who is quite obviously well-suited to this track and giving weight away to inferior opposition.