Go Dante Aiming For Record Third Imperial Cup Success

Go Dante will bid for a slice of history at Sandown on Saturday by becoming the first three-time winner of the Betfair Imperial Cup.


Olly Murphy's veteran has actually declared narrow victories in the last 2 editions of the prominent handicap, which is the traditional highlight the Saturday before the Cheltenham Festival gets under way.


Betfair are using a ₤ 100,000 perk 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 prize for a horse who is 3 from 3 at Sandown but has dissatisfied on his last number of trips at Windsor and Newbury.


"He's a few pounds higher than in 2015, but he enjoys the track and ideally with a little luck in running he'll run well again," stated the Warren Chase handler.


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


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


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


Murphy will have a 2nd string to his bow in the kind of Fingle Bridge, who reverted to the smaller obstacles to complete 2nd at Warwick last month following 3 runs over fences.


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


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


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


Other contenders consist of Ben Clarke's classy 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 partnership of Gary and Josh Moore.


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


Scorpio Rising appears his biggest hope having won his last three races, with Masked Man (Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies), (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 journey and everything will fit him well.


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


"We 'd invite a bit more rain for Gee Force Flyer however the stiff track will suit him well, he's probably disabled and this race has actually been the prepare for a very long time with him."