Go Dante Aiming For Record Third Imperial Cup Success

Go Dante will bid for a piece of history at Sandown on Saturday by ending up being the first three-time winner of the Betfair Imperial Cup.


Olly Murphy's veteran has claimed narrow triumphes in the last two editions of the prestigious handicap, which is the conventional highlight the Saturday before the Cheltenham Festival gets under way.


Betfair are providing a ₤ 100,000 benefit to the connections of the winner ought to the exact same horse go on to win any race at Cheltenham next week, but Go Dante does not hold any Festival engagements, with Murphy focusing on Saturday's reward for a horse who is 3 from three at Sandown but has disappointed on his last number of trips at Windsor and Newbury.


"He's a couple of pounds greater than in 2015, however he loves the track and ideally with a little luck in running he'll run well once again," stated the Warren Chase handler.


"In his last number of runs they've gone extremely, extremely quick early on flat tracks and it hasn't fit him, so hopefully returning to a stiffer track will fit.


"It would be good to win for a third time. We understand he likes the location and we're anticipating running him."


Go Dante in winning action at Sandown (John Walton/PA)


Murphy will have a 2nd string to his bow in the type of Fingle Bridge, who went back to the smaller sized barriers to complete second at Warwick last month following three runs over fences.


Murphy added: "He's going to run also. He did excessive at Warwick the last day, so we're hanging back in trip on a stiff track.


"He's definitely excellent horse with a big engine and hopefully a run in a handicap the last day will have honed him up once again. He should go there with an opportunity."


Fingle Bridge is the joint top-rated horse alongside the Dan Skelton-trained Knickerbockerglory in a 30-strong list of entries.


Other competitors consist of Ben Clarke's high-class mare Ooh Betty, the JP McManus-owned Khrisma from Nicky Henderson's lawn, Chris Gordon's General Briar and Mondo Man, trained by the father-and-son collaboration of Gary and Josh Moore.


Olly Murphy might likewise run 2 in the ₤ 80,000 European Breeders' Fund Betfair "National Hunt" Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final, with the Rising set to be signed up with by stablemate Gee Force Flyer.


Scorpio Rising appears his most significant hope having won his last 3 races, with Masked Man (Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies), Gentleman Toboot (David Pipe) and Kaka's Cousin (Jonjo and AJ O'Neill) others in the mix for a fiercely-competitive heat.


Murphy said: "Scorpio Rising looks progressive and I think the track and trip and everything will fit him well.


"He remains in actually excellent type, came out of Windsor well and ideally he's improving.


"We 'd welcome a bit more rain for Gee Force Flyer but the stiff track will match him well, he's feasibly disabled and this race has been the prepare for a long period of time with him."