Imperial sprouts wings in Ryanair

A future challenge for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and maybe even a tilt at this year’s Grand National await Imperial Commander, a game winner of the Ryanair Chase on Thursday.

Nigel Twiston-Davies prepared his charge to lift the Paddy Power Gold Cup at the course at the start of the season and despite a rather tame sixth on his other outing in the King George, he was right on the money here.