Mondo Man delivered a dramatic victory in the Betfair Imperial Cup at Sandown Park, surviving a near-disaster at the final flight to beat Wreckless Eric by a length. The five-year-old, ridden by Caoilin Quinn, had looked in complete control approaching the last hurdle before an untidy jump nearly unseated the jockey.

Quinn managed to stay aboard without his irons and kicked on to secure the win for trainer Gary Moore. The French Derby runner-up, who finished fifth behind Calandagan at Royal Ascot in 2024, had been sent off 5-2 favourite after a recent Plumpton victory. Moore admitted he was concerned about the heavy ground but praised Mondo Man's class for overcoming the conditions.

While a £100,000 bonus awaits if the Imperial Cup winner follows up at next week's Cheltenham Festival, Moore suggested Royal Ascot might be a more likely target. The trainer revealed plans to discuss future options with owners, noting Mondo Man was originally bought for Flat racing before injury interrupted his campaign. Quinn described the heart-stopping moment at the last as 'going back to my roots riding ponies round the fields' after managing to stay on and drive his mount home.