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 very first three-time winner of the Betfair Imperial Cup.


Olly Murphy's veteran has claimed narrow victories in the last 2 editions of the distinguished handicap, which is the conventional highlight the Saturday before the Cheltenham Festival gets under method.


Betfair are providing a ₤ 100,000 benefit to the connections of the winner must the very 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 getaways at Windsor and Newbury.


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


"In his last couple of runs they have actually gone really, very fast early on flat tracks and it hasn't matched him, so ideally returning to a stiffer track will fit.


"It would be good to win for a third time. We know he likes the place 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 form of Fingle Bridge, who went back to the smaller sized challenges to end up second at Warwick last month following 3 runs over fences.


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


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


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 backyard, 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 two in the ₤ 80,000 European Breeders' Fund Betfair "National Hunt" Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final, with the 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), 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 think the track and trip and whatever will fit him well.


"He's in truly great form, came out of Windsor well and hopefully he's improving.


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