Age no barrier to Imperial rule Nigel Twiston-Davies has scoffed at the concept of Imperial Commander being too old to win another totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. The last 10-year-old to take jump racing's premier prize was Cool Dawn back in 1998 and before him Cool Ground in 1992. Imperial Commander is a year younger than ever-present rivals and fellow Gold Cup winners Kauto Star and Denman, and Twiston-Davies points to his lighter career of just 18 races under Rules and a solitary Irish point-to-point. "How old was Kauto Star comparatively, when you think how early he started (in France)?" queried the trainer. "Imperial Commander has had very few runs. He started at a very late age, so this ageing thing doesn't seem the same with horses - it depends how much they have done. It's miles on the clock."
