Go Dante will bid for a slice of history at Sandown on Saturday by ending up being the first three-time winner of the Betfair Imperial Cup.

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

Betfair are offering 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, however Go Dante does not hold any Festival engagements, with Murphy focusing on Saturday's prize for a horse who is 3 from three at Sandown however has actually disappointed on his last number of getaways at Windsor and Newbury.

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

"In his last couple of runs they've gone really, extremely fast early on flat tracks and it hasn't matched him, so hopefully going back to a stiffer track will suit.

"It would be great to win for a 3rd time. We understand he enjoys the location and we're eagerly 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 obstacles to end up second at Warwick last month following three runs over fences.

Murphy included: "He's going to run too. He did excessive 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 once again. He ought to go there with a chance."

Fingle Bridge is the joint premier horse alongside the Dan Skelton-trained Knickerbockerglory in a 30-strong list of entries.

Other competitors include Ben Clarke's classy 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 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 prolific Scorpio Rising set to be signed up with 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 think the track and trip and everything will suit him well.

"He's in actually excellent kind, came out of Windsor well and ideally 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 strategy for a very long time with him."