Go Dante Aiming For Record Third Imperial Cup Success

Go Dante will bid for a slice 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 2 editions of the prestigious handicap, which is the traditional highlight the Saturday before the gets under method.


Betfair are offering a ₤ 100,000 benefit to the connections of the winner should the same horse go on to win any race at Cheltenham next week, however Go Dante does not hold any Festival engagements, with Murphy focusing on Saturday's prize for a horse who is three from three at Sandown but has actually dissatisfied on his last number of outings at Windsor and Newbury.


"He's a few pounds greater than last year, however he likes the track and hopefully with a little luck in running he'll run well once again," stated the Warren Chase handler.


"In his last number of runs they have actually gone very, really 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 third time. We know he loves the location and we're 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 challenges to end up 2nd at Warwick last month following three runs over fences.


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


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


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


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


Olly Murphy could likewise run 2 in the ₤ 80,000 European Breeders' Fund Betfair "National Hunt" Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final, with the prolific 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 believe the track and journey and everything will match him well.


"He's in really great type, came out of Windsor well and hopefully he's enhancing.


"We 'd invite a bit more rain for Gee Force Flyer however the stiff track will match him well, he's feasibly handicapped and this race has been the strategy for a very long time with him."