Go Dante returns to form for Imperial Cup repeat

Go Dante produced a perfectly-timed run to repeat his victory of last year in the Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle at Sandown.

High Point was the last horse to win successive renewals of the two-mile feature in 1952 and ’53 and it looked as though Go Dante (6-1) was up against it as he had failed to figure in six starts since his victory 12 months ago.

Racing off a 2lb lower mark than last year, Olly Murphy’s charge travelled well throughout in the hands of Sean Bowen as Knickerbockerglory set out his stall early but was starting to feel his prior efforts at the penultimate obstacle.

That allowed Afadil to grab the initiative on the run to the final flight, but Bowen was stoking up Go Dante down the middle of the track and he kept finding for pressure.

Afadil was still in front a matter of strides from the line but Go Dante did not waver and claimed the £51,440 first prize by half a length.

Wreckless Eric finished with a flourish between horses to grab second, with Afadil third and Tintintin taking fourth, while favourite Bo Zenith never featured for trainer Nicky Henderson.

Murphy said: “I’ve learned in a short period of time training you have to have a plan, especially for these bigger handicaps, and thankfully the plan today has paid off.

“I have to thank my team at home and he got a very good ride off Sean. I just feel like me and Sean are really working well as a team – he believes in me and I believe in him – and the last two Saturdays have been £100,000 handicaps that we’ve won together.

“He’s been running in these big handicaps all winter long and lost his mind at Ascot, but then ran a little better at Windsor and was in the process of running well in the old Betfair (William Hill Hurdle, Newbury) before nearly getting brought down.

“He’d slipped to a nice mark and I just thought he was starting to click and he loves this place. I was nervous about the ground otherwise I would have been very sweet on him, but he was fantastic.

“He stays very well over two and staying seems to have won him the race today and I think the ground is slower than anticipated. He was sharp and right for today and he’s picked up a big pot, it’s nice the plan has paid off.

A £100,000 bonus is on offer should Go Dante follow up in the William Hill County Hurdle at Cheltenham next week, but Murphy rates a quickfire return unlikely at present.

He said: “He’s had a hard race today, like he did last year, but I confirmed him today and I said to Barbara (Hester, Owner) that he won’t get in unless he was to win. We’ll have to see how he is, but I imagine he probably won’t run. Today was his main target and it is job done as far as I’m concerned.

“He’s been a star for us and he’s won two Imperial Cups and two huge handicaps, but you know what, I still thought he’d reach a higher level than what he’s reached. He was riddled with injuries as a younger horse and I have to thank my assistant who has done all the work and got him spot on for today.”

Bowen said: “It’s an incredible bit of training from Olly and since his run in the Greatwood (at Cheltenham in November), the plan has been to come here today.

“He’s a horse who needs things to go his way and he loves a stiff track and the ground soft. I was more confident today than I was last year and he just went round in the race better, I always felt the winner whereas I didn’t last year.

“The ground was horrific last year and I’m not sure many horses love that, but this was just soft ground which he enjoys and it was a great performance.

“To have him ready for today was brilliant from Olly, but to be honest they haven’t missed a week all season. Fair play, it’s some effort to keep horses in such good nick for so long and hopefully he can keep doing that for the next few seasons.”

Bowen and Murphy’s partnership has reaped plenty of rewards this term, with the rider currently more than 20 winners ahead of his jockeys’ championship rival Harry Skelton.

He added: “It’s amazing really when you’re trying to go for a jockeys’ title and I’ve ridden over 80 winners for Olly this season which is an incredible amount for one yard. You need a yard like his to win a championship and thankfully we’re building numbers now.”