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 actually claimed narrow victories in the last two editions of the distinguished handicap, which is the conventional highlight the Saturday before the Cheltenham Festival gets under method.


Betfair are using a ₤ 100,000 reward to the connections of the winner need to the 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 prize for a horse who is three from 3 at Sandown but has actually disappointed on his last couple of outings at Windsor and Newbury.


"He's a couple of pounds greater than last year, but he enjoys the track and ideally with a little bit of luck in running he'll run well again," stated the Warren Chase handler.


"In his last couple of runs they have actually gone extremely, very quick early on flat tracks and it hasn't matched him, so hopefully going back to a stiffer track will fit.


"It would be great to win for a 3rd time. We understand he enjoys the place and we're eagerly anticipating running him."


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


Murphy will have a second string to his bow in the kind of Fingle Bridge, who went back to the smaller sized obstacles to end up 2nd at Warwick last month following 3 runs over fences.


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


"He's certainly excellent horse with a big engine and hopefully a run in a handicap the last day will have sharpened him up once again. He ought to go there with a chance."


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


Other contenders include Ben Clarke's elite mare Ooh Betty, the JP McManus-owned Khrisma from Nicky Henderson's yard, Chris Gordon's General Briar and Mondo Man, trained by the father-and-son collaboration of Gary and Josh Moore.


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


Scorpio Rising appears his biggest 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 whatever will fit him well.


"He remains in really good form, came out of Windsor well and ideally he's enhancing.


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