Go Dante Aiming For Record Third Imperial Cup Success
Go Dante will bid for a piece 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 prestigious handicap, which is the traditional emphasize the Saturday before the Cheltenham Festival gets under way.
Betfair are offering a ₤ 100,000 reward to the connections of the winner should 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 3 at Sandown however has disappointed on his last couple of trips at Windsor and Newbury.
"He's a few pounds higher than last year, but he likes the track and hopefully with a little bit of luck in running he'll run well once again," stated the Warren Chase handler.
"In his last couple of runs they've gone very, really fast early on flat tracks and it hasn't fit him, so ideally returning to a stiffer track will fit.
"It would be good to win for a 3rd time. We know he likes the location 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 type 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 too. He did excessive at Warwick the last day, so we're dropping back in journey on a stiff track.
"He's definitely great horse with a big engine and ideally a run in a handicap the last day will have honed 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 competitors 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 might also run two 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 greatest hope having won his last three 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 stated: "Scorpio Rising looks progressive and I believe the track and journey and whatever will fit him well.
"He's in actually good form, came out of Windsor well and ideally he's improving.
"We 'd invite a bit more rain for Gee Force Flyer however the stiff track will fit him well, he's feasibly handicapped and this race has actually been the plan for a long time with him."