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 declared narrow success in the last 2 editions of the prestigious handicap, which is the traditional highlight the Saturday before the Cheltenham Festival gets under way.
Betfair are providing a ₤ 100,000 perk to the connections of the winner must 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 reward for a horse who is three from three at Sandown however has actually disappointed on his last number of outings at Windsor and Newbury.
"He's a couple of pounds higher than in 2015, however he likes 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've gone really, very fast early on flat tracks and it hasn't matched him, so ideally returning to a stiffer track will match.
"It would be good 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 form of Fingle Bridge, who reverted to the smaller sized 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 hanging back in trip 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 again. He ought to go there with a possibility."
Fingle Bridge is the joint premier horse alongside the Dan Skelton-trained Knickerbockerglory in a 30-strong list of entries.
Other contenders consist of Ben Clarke's high-class mare Ooh Betty, the JP McManus-owned Khrisma from Nicky Henderson's lawn, Chris Gordon's General Briar and Mondo Man, trained by the father-and-son partnership 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 respected Scorpio Rising set to be joined by stablemate Gee Force Flyer.
Scorpio Rising appears his most significant 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 said: "Scorpio Rising looks progressive and I believe the track and journey and whatever will suit him well.
"He remains in truly great type, came out of well and hopefully he's enhancing.
"We 'd invite a bit more rain for Gee Force Flyer but the stiff track will match him well, he's feasibly disabled and this race has been the prepare for a long period of time with him."