Bonus for Imperial Cup and Cheltenham Festival rises to £100,000

Matchbook has doubled the bonus up for grabs for any horse to win Sandown's Imperial Cup, which they sponsor, before going on to land any race at the Cheltenham Festival.

The cash carrot has soared from £50,000 to £100,000 in a bid to attract owners and trainers to Matchbook's handicap hurdle, worth £75,000, on March 10 and persuade winning connections to go on to Prestbury Park the following week.

Bradley Morrish, Matchbook director of business development, said: "We are excited to invest £100,000 in our continued commitment to British racing and support of The Jockey Club, doubling the previous bonus we brought back to the Imperial Cup last year."

He added: "We look forward to seeing some Cheltenham contenders at Sandown Park on what is a fantastic day in the lead up to the Festival."

A bonus was first introduced in 1992 and was reinstated last year after the 2016 Imperial Cup was not sponsored.

The last horse to lift the bonus was David Pipe's Gaspara, who took the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle three days after scoring at Sandown in 2007.