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 declared narrow triumphes in the last two editions of the distinguished 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 need 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 concentrating on Saturday's reward for a horse who is 3 from 3 at Sandown but has actually dissatisfied on his last couple of getaways at Windsor and Newbury.
"He's a couple of pounds higher than in 2015, however he enjoys the track and ideally with a little bit of luck in running he'll run well again," said the Warren Chase handler.
"In his last number of runs they've gone really, extremely quick 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 understand 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 went back to the smaller obstacles to complete 2nd at Warwick last month following three runs over fences.
Murphy added: "He's going to run also. He did excessive at Warwick the last day, so we're hanging back in on a stiff track.
"He's certainly good horse with a big engine and ideally a run in a handicap the last day will have honed him up once again. He needs to go there with an opportunity."
Fingle Bridge is the joint premier horse together with the Dan Skelton-trained Knickerbockerglory in a 30-strong list of entries.
Other contenders consist of Ben Clarke's elite 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 prolific 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 trip and everything will suit him well.
"He remains in truly great form, came out of Windsor well and hopefully he's improving.
"We 'd invite a bit more rain for Gee Force Flyer but the stiff track will suit him well, he's probably handicapped and this race has actually been the prepare for a very long time with him."