Tag Archive for: Jrl Group Liverpool Hurdle

Strong Leader lifts Liverpool Hurdle honours

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Freshness was the order of the day as Strong Leader landed a telling blow in the JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

Olly Murphy’s seven-year-old had hit the frame on his first attempt at three miles in January’s Cleeve Hurdle and his handler’s decision to skip the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival was rewarded in Liverpool as the mount of Sean Bowen produced a brilliant display.

Towards the rear in the early stages as Aintree regular Flooring Porter was disputing the lead with the evergreen Dashel Drasher and King George hero Hewick, Bowen made a notable move aboard Strong Leader heading down the back side on the second circuit, soon joining those towards the head of proceedings.

Buddy One was another to take close order rounding the bend for home, with Jack Gilligan setting sail aboard the Irish raider. But Bowen was holding on to plenty of horse and after powering his way to the front jumping the last, he galloped on to score by four and a quarter lengths at odds of 8-1.

Buddy One bravely kept on for second, with Henry de Bromhead’s Hiddenvalley Lake third, but they were never a match for Strong Leader who gave his trainer just a second Grade One victory after Itchy Feet back in February 2020.

Strong Leader (left) on his way to winning the JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle
Strong Leader (left) on his way to winning the JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Murphy said: “That meant an awful lot to me, I’m chuffed.

“He probably should have won the Cleeve Hurdle as he got underneath his hurdles for a mile and a half that day and I could have gone back for the Stayers’, but I’m adamant he doesn’t like Cheltenham – he doesn’t come up and down those hills well enough.

“We were ballsy enough to leave Cheltenham alone. I wanted to go there as much as anyone as I’ve never had a winner at the Festival, but we saved him for today on a flat track. He’s been good around here twice before and he just got into a rhythm today and jumped and travelled good.

“He missed the last badly, but apart from that he was good. Normally your heart is in your mouth for the last mile and a half with him, but it was just for the last two furlongs this time!

“He’s a very good horse on his day and I’m over the moon. I wear my heart on my sleeve and big winners is where you want to be.

“It’s hard work, you’re getting up early in the mornings, like everyone else who trains horses. If you don’t enjoy days like this you’re in the wrong profession.

“I love pressure because if you have pressure you’re doing well and I thrive off that, but you’ve got to deliver on the big stage. It’s taken me a while to have our second Grade One winner and I think this is the best day of my career so far.

“This lad is a homebred, the owners live 10 minutes down the road from me and they come up and rub his back themselves. He’s the most gorgeous horse you’ll ever set your eyes on and for him to be a good racehorse as well is even better.

“I wouldn’t be so sure he’ll go chasing. I might school him over fences and see, but I’d be quite happy to come back and win this race next year.

“Me and Sean are very close. He’s a friend of mine as well well as riding for me and for him to have a big winner like that is fantastic. I’m so lucky to have him as my stable jockey.”

Bowen was thrilled to hit the mark for Murphy.

He said: “It’s incredible, I can’t tell you how good it is for Olly. He’s been a while without a Grade One and he deserves all the success he gets.

“Strong Leader is a very good horse. He never puts it together to be honest, he can be a poor old jumper, but he jumped well on the whole today.

“You need these big winners to prove you can do it on the big day, so it’s massive.”

Buddy One finished fourth in the Stayers’ at Cheltenham and his trainer Paul Gilligan hailed another fine performance.

He said: “It was an absolutely fantastic run. He was given a peach of a ride by Jack (Gilligan). It is brilliant to be here, and boxing on the big stage as you are in the main arena here.

“Even though he is not in first place he is next best to it. We will look forward to going chasing with him next season, and please God that he improves for a fence.

“When he was in front you are thinking ‘don’t let anything go by you’, but hats off to Olly Murphy, and fair play to him, as he is a nice guy and well done to him, but it would have been nice if we won it.

“He is a fantastic horse. Is he going to win a Grade One over hurdles? Well he hasn’t done yet, but he is there on the premises the whole time.

“It is great for the guys that own him as they are three fantastic lads, and credit to my own family at home as they work hard.

“He is entered at Punchestown, but I would imagine that is it for the season.”

Henry de Bromhead felt Hiddenvalley Lake might have preferred more testing conditions.

He said: “He ran really well but Rachael felt a bit more give in the ground might have helped. He was also a bit keen through the race.

“It was his first run in a Grade One and is still young and will jump a fence.”



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Berlais backed to give another good account in Liverpool Hurdle

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Sire Du Berlais bids to join the staying hurdling greats when he goes in search of a JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle hat-trick at Aintree.

Gordon Elliott’s evergreen 12-year-old was a shock 16-1 winner when denying Flooring Porter in 2022 and then drew clear of Marie’s Rock when defending his title in style 12 months ago, supplementing the Stayers’ Hurdle success he enjoyed at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.

The JP McManus-owned veteran could only finish fifth at Prestbury Park this time around, but is reported to have bounced out of that race in great order ahead of his quest for more glory in the north west.

“He ran quite well at Cheltenham and has come out of the race really well,” said Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus.

“Gordon is really happy with him and hopefully he will run a big race again on Saturday.

“He was very good when he won here last year, he came from a long way back and he’s sure to run a good race.

“He’s been a great horse – a horse of a lifetime really – and he’s in good form and will give a good account.”

Flooring Porter is searching his first win at Aintree
Flooring Porter is searching for his first win at Aintree (Mike Egerton/PA)

Flooring Porter has twice hit the frame in Liverpool and having also rattled the crossbar behind Teahupoo at the Cheltenham Festival, trainer Gavin Cromwell is hoping his long-time stable star can finally get his moment in the Merseyside spotlight.

“He’s come out of Cheltenham well and he ran a cracker in Cheltenham – hopefully he can go one better here,” said the County Meath handler.

“He enjoys Liverpool and seems in good nick, so hopefully he can have a good chance.”

John ‘Shark’ Hanlon rerouted King George hero Hewick from the Bowl on Thursday to this Grade One equivalent over the smaller obstacles, while also switching to timber is Willie Mullins’ Monkfish, who brought the house down when winning the Galmoy Hurdle in January but was pulled up over fences in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Buddy One has been a standout performer for Paul Gilligan
Buddy One has been a standout performer for Paul Gilligan (Nigel French/PA)

The Irish challenge is bolstered Henry de Bromhead’s Boyne Hurdle winner Hiddenvalley Lake, the sole representative of owners Robcour, while Paul Gilligan’s Buddy One ran with real credit when fourth in the Stayers’ Hurdle, with connections eyeing going one better than when second at this meeting in handicap company 12 months ago.

“From his Stayers’ run it puts him there with a chance,” said Gilligan.

“He’s in great form, but I would like the ground to dry out a bit. He’s in good order, we’re here and looking forward to it and please God he will run well.

“He ran so well here last year we said we would come back here after Cheltenham. Hopefully he comes out on top this time. If he does then super, if not but he puts in a good performance, we will be happy as well.”

British hopes could rest on a return to form for the Fergal O’Brien-trained Long Walk Hurdle victor Crambo.

The seven-year-old announced himself as the young gun of the staying hurdles division when downing Paisley Park at Ascot but rather disappointed at the Cheltenham Festival when well held in ninth.

“He was a bit disappointing at Cheltenham, but I thought maybe the track didn’t quite suit him,” said Noel Fehily, racing manager to Crambo’s co-owner Chris Giles.

“He definitely underperformed and we’re hoping he can bounce back on Saturday. He’s in great form and we’re just hoping for a nice run.

“He’s been a super little horse and hopefully he can continue to be on Saturday.”

The John and Yvonne Stone-owned Botox Has was last seen winning Haydock’s Rendlesham Hurdle and following up in this could set the team of Caoilin Quinn and trainer Gary Moore up perfectly for their Grand National tilt with Nassalam less than an hour later.

Olly Murphy’s Strong Leader was third beaten little over a length in his first try at three miles in the Cleeve Hurdle, while Jeremy Scott’s Dashel Drasher is a standing dish in these contests and his team are keen to take advantage of the unseasonably testing conditions.

“It’s a bit of a bonus run with him really as usually we get to Aintree and the ground isn’t suitable for him, but for once it looks like the ground will be okay this year,” said Scott.

“He’s in good form, but as I say it’s more of a bonus run with him really rather than a grand plan.”

Another seasoned campaigner, Nicky Henderson’s Champ, along with Dan Skelton’s Proschema complete the field of 12.



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Hewick handed Liverpool Hurdle possibility at Aintree

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King George hero Hewick has emerged as a surprise contender for the JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle, with trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon keen to keep options open with conditions at Aintree currently testing ahead of the three-day Grand National meeting.

Famously acquired for just €850, the nine-year-old’s rags-to-riches tale as seen him become one of the most popular horses in training and he has picked up prizes such as the Galway Plate and American Grand National en route to becoming a bona fide Grade One operator.

After striking at Kempton on Boxing Day, the wet weather has already scuppered Hanlon’s plans to run Hewick in both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Randox Grand National itself this spring and the continued rainfall has seen him searching for a Merseyside alternative to running in Thursday’s Aintree Bowl.

Hewick flying home to win the King George
Hewick flying home to win the King George (John Walton/PA)

However, the County Carlow handler has no concerns about switching to the smaller obstacles, unwilling to expose his stable star to what could be the worst of conditions on Thursday.

“We know he is as good a hurdler as he is a chaser and I’m not worried about running him over hurdles,” said Hanlon.

“We ran him in the French Champion Hurdle and he ran a cracker, the ground was just too soft and if the ground was too soft there at Aintree on Thursday and we didn’t run him, it gives us the option to run him there on Saturday.

“They are giving the weather to dry up from Tuesday on and the ground could be good again on Saturday, so if the ground was OK we would run him.

Trainer John “Shark” Hanlon with Hewick
Trainer John “Shark” Hanlon with Hewick (Niall Carson/PA)

“I’ve had it in my mind for the last fortnight and he wouldn’t mind a bit of cut in the ground over hurdles, it’s just that he’s not over big himself and over fences I would be afraid he would burst his heart trying to jump out of heavy ground, which over a hurdle he won’t. It’s not that he has to have good ground, it is just that a fence looks very big to him on soft ground.

“He’s in great form and he’s worked nice. We’re just going to wait now and see and it might be that (hurdles) division this year might not be overly the best. I just have to keep all my options open.”

There are a total of 20 entries for the three-mile Grade One with Stayers’ Hurdle champion Teahupoo one of four possible runners for Gordon Elliott alongside defending champion Sire Du Berlais, Irish Point and Beacon Edge.

Cheltenham Festival winner Teahupoo could run again at Aintree
Cheltenham Festival winner Teahupoo could run again at Aintree (Adam Davy/PA)

Stayers’ Hurdle runner-up Flooring Porter will bid to turn the tables for Gavin Cromwell, while fellow Irish raider Buddy One could seek a first Grade One victory having also acquitted himself well at the Cheltenham Festival.

Fergal O’Brien’s Crambo is among the British hopes, with dual Coral Cup winner Langer Dan taking the leap into deep waters for the trainers’ championship-seeking Dan Skelton.

The Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle could see record buy Caldwell Potter make his debut for Paul Nicholls, with a collection of talented novices, including Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Slade Steel, amongst the 24 initial entries.

Meanwhile, there has been little to separate Elliott’s Found A Fifty and Willie Mullins’ Il Etait Temps this season and they could lock horns for a third time in the My Pension Expert Maghull Novices’ Chase – the last of three Grade Ones on the Grand National day card.



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Marie’s ready to Rock in Liverpool Hurdle

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Marie’s Rock will finally get a crack at three miles when she goes to post for the Jrl Group Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

Connections had mooted a move up in trip for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival before electing to defend her Mares’ Hurdle crown over an intermediate distance.

However, having seen her four-race winning run come to an end at Prestbury Park, the Nicky Henderson-trained eight-year-old will now test her mettle in the staying division, with the flat three miles of the Merseyside track identified as the perfect examination of her credentials.

“It was well documented it was a 50-50 last minute decision whether we stepped up or didn’t at Cheltenham,” said Tom Palin of owners Middleham Park Racing.

“I still think we made the right decision as it was very testing there at Cheltenham and I think this looks a slightly more open rendition of a three-mile Grade One.

“Her trainer has been quite vocal all year that he would like to see her over three miles. The jockey (Nico de Boinville) is very confident she will see out the trip and after her performance in the Relkeel, I want to jump on the bandwagon as well. It’s been something we’ve been wanting to try for the last couple of months and we’re finally going to do it.

“I think Aintree seems the sensible place to have a look at three miles. She’s never been round there but has a lot of form at flat tracks, so there is no reason to think she wouldn’t act round there. As much as Cheltenham is her spiritual home, this should be fine for her and she’s in good form.”

Marie’s Rock was sent off the 9-4 joint favourite when beaten 15 lengths at the Cheltenham Festival, but with the mare showing no ill effects in the aftermath, Palin is keen to put a line through that outing as she looks to regain the winning thread in the her first visit to the north west.

“We’re happy to put a line through Cheltenham,” he continued. “The Mares’ was an unsatisfactory race in the way it was run.

“It was run at a very sedate pace and the two on the front just got soft leads and were able to wind it up at the correct time. That left horses like ourselves and Epatante on the back foot and unable to land a blow.

“Nothing came to light with our mare afterwards and I would hope to see a truer run race here, which means she will be able to settle and in theory we should see her finishing burst quickening off an already good tempo.

Trainer Nicky Henderson and Marie’s Rock during a visit to Nicky Henderson’s stables at Seven Barrows in Lambourn
Trainer Nicky Henderson and Marie’s Rock during a visit to Nicky Henderson’s stables at Seven Barrows in Lambourn (David Davies/PA)

“She will either stay or she will not. We will not be riding her to get the trip, we’ll just settle her in mid-div and whenever Nico feels the time is right to unleash her up that straight, we will find out if she stays or she doesn’t.”

Stayers’ Hurdle champion Sire Du Berlais accounted for Gavin Cromwell’s Flooring Porter in this 12 months ago and Gordon Elliott will be hoping lighting strikes twice for his stable stalwart following his heroic Prestbury Park triumph last month.

“Sire Du Berlais seems in great order since Cheltenham,” said the Cullentra House handler.

“He has a habit of running one massive race a year and that’s what he did at Cheltenham, but hopefully he can find another big performance here.”

As well as the defending champion, owner JP McManus can also count on the services of Champ who is another in the race for Seven Barrows handler Henderson.

Dashel Drasher further represents the Stayers’ Hurdle form, with Jeremy Scott’s admirably consistent 10-year-old attempting to go one better than his Cheltenham second, while Home By The Lee struck twice in Ireland before finishing fifth – beaten only three and three-quarter lengths – at the Festival.

“He seems in good shape and we’re looking forward to going to Aintree with him – we think the track will suit him,” said trainer Joseph O’Brien.

Home By The Lee ridden by jockey JJ Slevin (left) jumps the last hurdle on their way to winning the Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown
Home By The Lee ridden by jockey JJ Slevin (left) jumps the last hurdle on their way to winning the Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown (Niall Carson/PA)

“He did well to finish as close as he did in Cheltenham after the mistake he made.

“We’re hoping for a good run from him in what looks a good race.”

Oliver McKiernan’s Meet And Greet was third to Home By The Lee at Leopardstown over Christmas and was last seen finishing runner-up to Blazing Khal in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan.

He returns to three miles which could be a positive, while attempting the trip for the first time is Olly Murphy’s Brewin’upastorm – who proved better than ever when continuing his love affair with Fontwell’s National Spirit Hurdle in February.

Dan Skelton’s Proschema was well held in that contest and has not been seen at his best since scoring at Wetherby earlier in the season, with Paul Nicholls’ Monmiral reverting to the smaller obstacles having been novice chasing throughout the current campaign.



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