Go Dante

Those wins have all come in the Imperial Cup, one of the most recognisable races at the track. Trainer Olly Murphy has been open about what makes it work: Go Dante loves wet, muddy ground, and Sandown in late winter tends to provide exactly that. Murphy noted after the most recent win that the horse needs to race to stay sharp — you cannot simply point him at a big occasion fresh and expect the best of him. The plan is built around Sandown, and when it comes together, it really comes together.

Across 24 races in total, Go Dante has won 6 times and placed 8 more — a win rate of around 1 in every 4 races, which at this level of competition is genuinely solid. His best distance is somewhere between a mile and six furlongs and two miles, where he has won 3 of just 7 races, a fraction of 43% that stands out sharply. Murphy has suggested that stepping him up to two and a half miles is not out of the question as he gets older, though on faster or drier ground that extra distance may not suit him.

Sean Bowen has ridden him in 15 of those 24 races and contributed 5 of the 6 wins — together they click, winning roughly 1 in every 3 times they line up. That partnership matters, because Go Dante is a horse who seems to reward familiarity and patience. Murphy put it simply after December's win: "He's a star." Given that he raced just yesterday and is still active at ten, it is hard to argue. The only real question now is whether he can make it four wins from five at Sandown — and whether the ground will play ball.