Cheltenham bonus back in play for Imperial Cup winner

Matchbook, the new sponsors of the Imperial Cup, have reintroduced a £50,000 bonus should the winner of the £70,000 handicap hurdle at Sandown on March 11 go on to land any race at Cheltenham the following week.The cash incentive was originally set up in 1992 and bonus winners include Martin Pipe's duo of Olympian and Blowing Wind, and Gaspara, trained by his son, David.Matchbook chief executive Mark Brosnan said: "We are delighted to be sponsoring Imperial Cup Day and to reinstate this bonus, bringing back a long-standing tradition."Tony Langenegger, the Jockey Club's London Region Partnerships Manager, said: "Matchbook's decision to reinstate a bonus for the Imperial Cup winner going on to win a race at the Cheltenham Festival is a testament to their enthusiasm for the event and we look forward to working with them in 2017 and beyond."