Tag Archive for: Olly Murphy

Strong Leader off to solid start for the season at Newbury

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Strong Leader cemented his status as a major player in the staying division with a comeback victory in the Coral Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury.

Olly Murphy’s stable star came of age at the end of last season when successfully stepping up to three miles in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

The seven-year-old was a 4-7 favourite to pick up where he left off in this Grade Two contest under title-chasing Sean Bowen and knuckled down to get the job done in determined fashion in the end.

Outsider Flight Deck took the four-strong field along for much of the three-mile journey, but it was obvious rounding the home turn that his three chasing rivals had more to give.

Strong Leader moved powerfully towards the front, but was unable to initially shake off the challenge of Monmiral, who was bidding to provide Paul Nicholls and part-owner Sir Alex Ferguson with a treble on the card.

The market leader’s class and stamina eventually kicked in after the final flight, though, and there was three and a half lengths between the pair at the line, with dual Coral Cup winner Langer Dan – who typically runs his best races in the spring – not disgraced back in third.

Strong Leader with connections at Newbury
Strong Leader with connections at Newbury (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Murphy said: “I must admit I didn’t enjoy today, I felt a lot of pressure and I don’t usually. It’s the first time I’ve had a drink at the races in a long time!

“I’m pleased to get that out of the way. It was obviously his first start of the season and I had him as fit as I could get him at home without killing him with work. You’re obviously mindful of the rest of the season, so I did leave a little bit to work with.

“He’s not a flashy work horse and doesn’t do anything overly exuberantly, but on the whole I thought he jumped well bar the second-last.

“Sean knows him well and it was relatively straightforward. He improved the whole way through last season and I’d like to think he’ll do the same this year.”

Sponsors Paddy Power cut Strong Leader to 8-1 from 12-1 for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, with the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on December 21 his likely next target.

“He’s as good a staying, three-mile hurdler as we’ve got this side of the water by the looks of things at the moment and hopefully we can keep progressing,” Murphy added.

“The plan would be to go to Ascot at Christmas, albeit we’ve never won right-handed and it didn’t look like it suited him last year in the Coral Hurdle over two and a half.

“It’s a bit of a question mark going right-handed, but it’s a Grade One and you’ve got to go and have a go sometimes in life.”

As for Cheltenham aspirations, he added: “Is he going to have to improve to beat Teahupoo? No doubt he is going to have to, but it’s only his third start at three miles, so I’m delighted to get that out of the way and get on with the season.”



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All eyes on The Jukebox Man for Newbury fencing debut

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Harry Redknapp knows plenty about sporting excellence and his exciting chasing prospect The Jukebox Man makes his eagerly-awaited fences bow in the Coral John Francome Novices’ Chase at Newbury on Friday.

The former football manager won the FA Cup with Portsmouth and also guided Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League during his decorated career in the dugout, but it is Ben Pauling who oversees The Jukebox Man’s preparations on the equine training grounds.

The Gloucestershire handler has been excited by what he has seen from the seven-year-old when schooling over the larger obstacles and having gone close to Grade One glory at both the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree in the spring, is confident his charge can make his mark in this new discipline.

Pauling said: “It’s great to be getting started and it’s been a slow old autumn because of the weather with him. But he came through his racecourse gallop at Newbury very well and in his schooling he’s been electric – we’re looking forward to seeing him just as much as everyone else.

“Being honest, the chase course is good to soft, soft in places and although I think he’ll be perfectly fine on that we are dropping back in trip. Even though I don’t think that will be a negative, it will be the quickest ground he will have run on over two and a half miles.

“I fully expect him to jump and travel nicely. It’s a very deep race for the six runners that are there, but he goes there in good order.”

The cameras were trained on Redknapp as he was seen wincing in despair following The Jukebox Man’s agonising reversal in the Albert Bartlett in March.

However, the 77-year-old – who is a big supporter of Pauling – will be a notable absentee from the paddock on this occasion.

Harry Redknapp cheering on The Jukebox Man at Cheltenham
Harry Redknapp cheering on The Jukebox Man at Cheltenham (Joe Giddens/PA)

“Annoyingly Harry can’t be there, he’s got a lunch in Cardiff he is doing a talk at,” continued Pauling.

“He’s disappointed to say the least but the horse needs to run in this race anyway.”

Standing in The Jukebox Man’s way is Paul Nicholls’ Captain Teague, who claimed the scalp of Pauling’s star performer when they clashed in the Challow Hurdle at this track last season.

He was awarded a walkover on his intended chasing bow at Exeter earlier this month and Nicholls is keen to unleash him over the larger obstacles.

Captain Teague (right) and The Jukebox Man (centre) locking horns in the Challow Hurdle
Captain Teague (right) and The Jukebox Man (centre) locking horns in the Challow Hurdle (David Davies/PA)

He told Betfair: “He won the Persian War and the Challow last season before disappointing at Cheltenham in the spring when he was never quite right along with several others in the yard.

“He is in top order now, enjoyed a gallop round Newbury last week and I’ve always thought he would make a chaser. His schooling over fences has been very good and I’d like to think he has a big chance.”

Nicholls will also be represented in the Coral Long Distance Hurdle by Pertemps hero Monmiral, another with a footballing connection and counts Sir Alex Ferguson among his owners.

However, most eyes will be on Olly Murphy’s Liverpool Hurdle hero Strong Leader as he gets his season up and running.

Strong Leader en route to winning at Aintree
Strong Leader en route to winning at Aintree (Nigel French for The Jockey Club/PA)

The seven-year-old has thrived since upped in trip, going close in the Cleeve Hurdle before connections’ decision to skip the Cheltenham Festival paid dividends at Aintree when he galloped to Grade One glory.

Murphy said: “He’s in good form, he’s been trained for the race and we’re looking forward to running him. Obviously it’s cut up big time so hopefully he’s the one they’ve all got to beat.

“It’s the start of what is hopefully a busy season for him, I’m expecting him to be fit enough to go and win but I’ve left a bit to work with as well.

“I don’t know why it’s cut up as bad as it did but it’s still a tight little race. I wouldn’t swap my lad, he’s got a penalty and we have bigger targets ahead but it’d be lovely to win it.”

Dual Coral Cup champion Langer Dan and Deborah Cole’s Flight Deck also head to post in a select field of four.

Langer Dan after winning at Cheltenham
Langer Dan after winning at Cheltenham (Mike Egerton/PA)

The former finished the season with real zest when following up his Cheltenham Festival success with near misses behind Impaire Et Passe at both Aintree and Sandown, but trainer Dan Skelton has sounded his yearly warning about Langer Dan’s early-season form.

Skelton told Ladbrokes: “It’s disappointing that only four horses have turned up for this one, but that’s a sign of the kind of horses that you need to compete at this level.

“There’s a couple of 160 horses in here. Langer Dan is always better in the spring, in my opinion, but I’ve done as much work as I can with him and we’ll see how we get on.”



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Strong Leader warming up for Long Distance return with Newbury spin

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Strong Leader will tune up for his impending return in Newbury’s Coral Long Distance Hurdle with a reconnaissance mission at the Berkshire track on Tuesday.

Olly Murphy’s seven-year-old has thrived since being upped to three miles and although narrowly touched off in the Cleeve Hurdle in January, he got more than worthwhile compensation when scooping Grade One honours in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree in the spring.

He was due to begin the current campaign at Wetherby in the West Yorkshire Hurdle, but having skipped that event on account of the ground will instead head to Newbury for a well-trodden staying hurdle path before potentially heading to Ascot at Christmas for their feature Long Walk Hurdle.

Before that though, Strong Leader will put the finishing touches to his preparations by taking part in Newbury’s annual gallops morning.

Murphy said: “The plan is to start him off at Newbury in the Long Distance Hurdle, he’s very well and I’m planning on galloping there on Tuesday during their gallops morning. He’s in a good place.

“Sean (Bowen) has been very happy with him and I’m looking forward to giving him a good blow on Tuesday morning and hopefully that will put him spot on for the following week.

“I would have loved to have got him going at Wetherby, but couldn’t because of the ground there. A flat left-handed track suits him well so hopefully Newbury is a good place to get him started.”

He added: “He’s going to carry a penalty for his Grade One win at Aintree which won’t make life easy, but I’m looking forward to running him, we’ve left a bit to work with and all being well we’ll head for the Long Walk after that.”



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Olly Murphy has grand plans for easy Bangor winner Junker d’Allier

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Olly Murphy will consider the Formby Novices’ Hurdle as a big-race target for Junker d’Allier following an impressive display at Bangor on Wednesday.

Runner-up in each of his three starts in the bumper sphere last season, the five-year-old opened his account on his jumping debut at Carlisle last month and was a 4-6 favourite to follow up under a 7lb penalty in division one of the Field & Falcon Novices’ Hurdle.

Those who took the cramped odds will have had few concerns, with Junker d’Allier drawing clear of his rivals before the home turn and surviving a minor scare at the final obstacle to score by six and a half lengths.

“He’s a good horse I think,” Murphy told Sky Sports Racing.

“You get disappointed when a horse doesn’t win a bumper and you think they can’t be a good horse. He got beat in three bumpers, but jumping is his forte and he’s a lovely, staying horse for the future.”

The Kapgarde gelding will now have his sights raised, with a step up to Grade One level at Aintree on Boxing Day for a race formerly known as the Tolworth Hurdle a potential port of call.

Murphy added of the Sean Bowen-ridden winner: “We’re going to have to step him up in grade now. Whether he’s a horse for a Tolworth or not I don’t know. We’ve a lot of horses in the same kind of category as this lad that have gone and done what he’s done, which is a nice position to be in.

“We’ll definitely step him up in grade, whether we look at Cheltenham in December for a two-mile novice hurdle or we look at Aintree for the Tolworth.

“I thought he was a staying horse, but he’s actually got a turn of foot, so I’ll definitely be keeping at two miles for the time being.”

Junker D’allier’s rider was completing a double on the card, having earlier steered Gordon Elliott’s Irish raider Shecouldbeanything to victory in the feature Yorton Mares’ Novices’ Chase.

Shecouldbeanything (centre) powered home to win at Bangor
Shecouldbeanything (centre) powered home to win at Bangor (Martin Rickett/PA)

The 7-2 shot was bidding for a four-timer following a hat-trick of autumn wins on home soil, including a Grade Three triumph at Tipperary, but looked unlikely to extend her winning sequence for much of this Listed contest as she was struggling to keep up at the rear of the field.

Cheltenham Festival-winning hurdler You Wear It Well appeared in control turning for home, but Bowen kept pushing and shoving aboard Shecouldbeanything and she finished with a flourish, getting up to beat You Wear It Well by a length and three-quarters.

“You can see why she’s won as many races as she has with an attitude like that, she really wanted it, which was key,” said Bowen.

“I spoke to Gordon half an hour ago and I said I’d make plenty of use of her, she’s got the experience and stays well, but I lined up and couldn’t go the gallop. She’s obviously been winning over two-and-a-half and she probably needs every yard of two and a half miles.”

Elliott doubled up with the James Bowen-ridden Beaufort Scale (2-1) in the Overton Novices’ Hurdle.

Do It Again (centre) leads the way at Bangor
Do It Again (centre) leads the way at Bangor (Martin Rickett/PA)

The training partnership of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero also enjoyed two winners, with the JP McManus-owned Jagwar (5-2) striking gold in the Paul Ferguson Jumpers To Follow Handicap Chase under Jonjo O’Neill before Gentleman Bill (13-2) edged out I’m A Lumberjack by a short head in division two of the two-mile novice hurdle in the hands of Henry Brooke.

The French-based team of Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm claimed a second juvenile winner in Britain in as many days as 10-11 favourite Do It Again landed the Wynnstay EBF Junior ‘National Hunt’ Hurdle to supplement Midnight Exit’s success at Hereford on Tuesday.

Michael O’Sullivan, who rode both horses, said of Do It Again: “I met the last couple (of hurdles) on bad strides as we were going that bit quicker than he’d have been used to, but he’s a lovely big horse and won with loads in hand.

“I had to make my own running, which wouldn’t be ideal for a horse first time out. He was having a good look in front, but every time I asked him for more he gave it to me.

“He’s a lovely horse to look forward to.”

Following the race won by Jagwar 5lb claimer Beau Morgan was handed a 14-day ban for failing to take “all reasonable and permissible measures” to win on the 10th placed Champagnesuperover. He will miss November 27 – December 10.



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Pickanumber routs Swinton rivals with ‘remarkable performance’

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Olly Murphy admitted to being “a bit shocked” after Pickanumber turned what was meant to be a competitive Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle into a procession in the sunshine at Haydock.

Bought for £30,000 as a nine-race maiden at the Goffs UK September sale, the six-year-old had already looked a shrewd purchase after winning three of his first four starts for his new connections.

Despite lining up on Merseyside in rude health, Pickanumber was a 22-1 shot for what appeared a much sterner test, but he proved more than up to the task in the hands of 5lb claimer Dylan Johnston.

On the pace from flag-fall, the Shantou gelding had most of his rivals in serious trouble from the top of the home straight and the result was not really in any doubt from the second-last hurdle.

While riders in behind were rowing away for all they were worth, Johnston was able to salute the crowd as he passed the post a yawning 15 lengths clear of his nearest pursuer Tapley, picking up the lion’s share of an £80,000 prize fund for a syndicate that includes racing broadcaster Gary O’Brien.

“I’m a bit shocked really, especially because I didn’t think they went very quick and I thought there were a lot of horses beat turning in,” said Murphy.

“He’s a horse we picked up cheap from Doncaster last autumn and he’s four from five for us now. He’s kind of not scraped home in a couple of ordinary races, but he hasn’t exactly been hosing up and it’s just a remarkable performance.

Pickanumber and Dylan Johnston after winning at Haydock
Pickanumber and Dylan Johnston after winning at Haydock (Ashley Iveson/PA)

“I couldn’t quite make head nor tail of it really. I wouldn’t say I thought we were running in the wrong race, but I thought he’d done his winning and I’m as shocked as anyone.

“I don’t remember a Swinton winner winning by 15 lengths and it probably won’t help us going forward, but it’s a big pot to win today and we’ll enjoy it.

“I said before today, he’s been on the go all winter and probably wants a holiday, but that holiday might be cut short now and we might look over the Irish Sea at a Galway Hurdle.”

Zain Nights with Lucy Wadham (left) and Gavin Sheehan at Haydock
Zain Nights with Lucy Wadham (left) and Gavin Sheehan at Haydock (Ashley Iveson/PA)

Zain Nights signed off an excellent campaign on a high in the Pertemps Network Long Distance Handicap Hurdle.

Lucy Wadham’s charge lined up having won three of his previous four starts and was two from two since being stepped up to three miles in the spring.

The 4-1 favourite to complete his hat-trick in this £40,000 contest, Zain Nights moved powerfully throughout in the hands of Gavin Sheehan before knuckling down to get the better of game front-runner My Bobby Dazzler by a head.

“He’s unbeaten over three miles and he’s as tough as anything, now he’s got his jumping together he travels so well, being off the Flat, and he loves this good ground,” said Wadham.

“He’s a five-year-old who’s just improving. We’ll give him a summer break now, we were slightly umming and ahing about running today, but he came out of Cheltenham so well we thought we’d have one more run.

“I think we’ll stay hurdling next season and hopefully he’ll be good enough to go for something like the Pertemps Final (at the Cheltenham Festival), he’s going that way.”



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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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Brewin’upastorm delivers special victory for Olly Murphy

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Brewin’upastorm rolled back the years to give trainer Olly Murphy a Grade Two strike to remember in the Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Now an 11-year-old, Brewin’upastorm has mixed it with some of the best during his lengthy career with the trainer, triumphing in bumper, hurdles and chase company.

Grade One-placed as a novice hurdler at Aintree back in 2019, he subsequently embarked on a spell over fences that yielded two wins but saw him unseat his rider in the 2020 Arkle and trail home last in the Tingle Creek the following season.

Murphy has kept him to hurdles subsequently, twice winning the National Spirit at Fontwell, and this was a first trip to Ireland.

Partnered by Jack Kennedy, Brewin’upastorm was one of just four runners and with Maxxum crashing out and Thedevilscoachman failing to sparkle, it was a duel with Willie Mullins’ 5-6 favourite Zarak The Brave from the penultimate flight.

Brewin’upastorm jumped the last in front but Zarak The Brave was rallying on the run to the line, with Murphy’s raider digging deep to edge a three-quarter-length success.

Murphy was assistant to Gordon Elliott before striking out on his own in Britain and he was thrilled to secure a winner in Ireland.

He said: “I enjoyed that! He’s a very good horse on his day and he’s only good once a year, if that makes sense.

“He really turned up today and I thought he just outstayed Willie’s horse from the back of the last.

“Ireland has been a brilliant place for me, I spent five fantastic years here. I learned an awful lot off Gordon (Elliott) and watched Jack grow up to be the man he is today, I watched him ride his first winner.

“Coming over and taking on the best of the Irish, the way National Hunt racing is at the moment on both side of the Irish Sea, it was something I always wanted to do – train a winner over here.

“I really enjoyed that, Ireland has been a very good place for me and to come back and have a big winner here is magic.

“I probably came over due to the lack of opportunities on our side of the sea. It’s hard to win anywhere, it’s hard to win in England let alone here.

“I enjoyed that as much as any winner I’ve trained.”



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Murphy eyeing Imperial Cup tilt with Go Dante

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The Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle could prove a more than suitable alternative to the Cheltenham Festival for connections of Go Dante, who are weighing up a shot at the valuable Sandown prize.

As well as his ticket to Saturday’s Sandown feature, Olly Murphy’s Betfair Hurdle third holds entries in both the Country Hurdle and Martin Pipe races at Prestbury Park the following week.

However, with the eight-year-old not certain to make the final line-up for those events in the Cotswolds, the Warren Chase handler is seriously considering a trip to Esher for the prestigious £100,000 contest, with Go Dante a 7-1 chance with the sponsors.

Olly Murphy is the trainer of Go Dante
Olly Murphy is the trainer of Go Dante (Simon Marper/PA)

Murphy said: “It’s certainly something we are looking at. Ideally, we would have liked to have got into a Cheltenham handicap but that doesn’t look like happening, so the Imperial Cup looks the most likely race we will take our chance in.

“He’s in good form and had a very good run in the Betfair. I think soft ground and a stiff two miles at Sandown should suit him well.

“He’s got two entries at Cheltenham next week and it’s a case of looking at where he’s most likely to get in and making the right decision, but we’re certainly looking at Sandown on Saturday.”

Similar sentiments apply to Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s Making Headway, who also has a couple of options at the Cheltenham Festival but has connections leaning towards a crack at the Imperial Cup.

Making Headway winning at Newbury
Making Headway winning at Newbury (Adam Davy/PA)

An impressive winner from the front in heavy ground at Newbury last month, it could be ground conditions once again that ultimately decide if the six-year-old’s team roll the dice or hold fire in case they make the cut in either the Coral Cup or Martin Pipe at Prestbury Park.

“I think he will (go to the Imperial Cup), as long as it doesn’t dry out too much,” said Greenall. “He will definitely want it no quicker than good to soft or soft – it looks a nice opportunity for him.

“He’s not guaranteed to get in at Cheltenham and we were going to go for the good novice race at Kelso (Premier Novices’ Hurdle) but that looked quite hot and there was a couple we didn’t want to take on.”

Ben Pauling’s recent Huntingdon scorer Jipcot currently heads the market, with the in-form handler also responsible for narrow Ascot runner-up Bad amongst the 23 in the mix for Saturday’s contest.



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Aintree on the agenda again for Strong Leader

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Strong Leader is set to continue plying his trade in the staying hurdle division, having been handed a Liverpool Hurdle objective by trainer Olly Murphy.

The seven-year-old has shown smart form at Aintree in the past, winning a novice hurdle by eight lengths last term before ending the campaign by finishing a close-up second to Inthepocket over an extended two miles in the Grade One Top Novices’ Hurdle.

Since being well beaten over the minimum trip on his return to action, Strong Leader has gone up in distance, first running well in the Ascot Hurdle before excelling in his first try at three miles on Cheltenham Trials day in the Cleeve Hurdle.

On that occasion, only Stayers’ Hurdle-bound Noble Yeats and Paisley Park finished ahead of Strong Leader.

And with Murphy’s charge holding no graded entries for the Cheltenham Festival, he is set to bypass Prestbury Park in favour of another trip to Merseyside for their Grand National day Grade One.

“He’s going straight to Aintree for the three-mile race,” said Murphy.

Strong Leader in action at Aintree last spring
Strong Leader in action at Aintree last spring (Tim Goode/PA)

“I know everyone talked about Paisley Park and Noble Yeats and rightly so, but he was the unlucky loser. He never jumped a hurdle, didn’t come down the hill and yet was only beaten a length and a quarter.

“He relished the step up to three miles. His sectionals were very good over two miles but he’s always worked like a horse who would want a trip.

“He will go straight to Aintree and whether he will be good enough, I’m not sure, but he’s a very good horse on his day – and the one day it all clicks for him, then he could win a big one.”



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Sean Bowen back in action at Huntingdon on Thursday

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Title-chasing rider Sean Bowen has been cleared to make his comeback from injury at Huntingdon on Thursday.

Bowen, out of action since a fall at Aintree on Boxing Day, has seen his long-established lead at the top of the jump jockeys’ standings chipped away at in recent weeks by Harry Cobden.

Before racing on Tuesday Cobden had reduced the lead to just five, and that during a time when his main backer Paul Nicholls is habitually quiet. His runners have clicked back into gear recently, though, and he provided Cobden with a four-timer at Musselburgh on Sunday.

Bowen has one ride at Huntingdon, on Olly Murphy’s new recruit Roccovango in the Mulberry Developments Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

Olly Murphy is Sean Bowen's biggest supporter
Olly Murphy is Sean Bowen’s biggest supporter (Simon Marper/PA)

“It was great to jock Sean back up on a horse this morning,” said Murphy.

“He’s riding out tomorrow, his rehab has gone well and he told me he was on the Equicizer yesterday, did some exercises and all was good.

“We’re looking forward to having him back. He’s a huge part of our team and is someone all the young lads look up to as well.

“He’s a big part of the furniture at Warren Chase and we’ll be doing all we can to get back behind him, along with many other people, to make him champion jockey.

“He was flying up to Christmas, he’d been riding extremely well all year but unfortunately the life of a jump jockey means injuries are a part of it and he had a bad fall at Aintree on Boxing Day and missed six weeks.

“Harry Cobden has clawed back a lot of his lead, he is riding extremely well as well and he’s ultra-talented. We wish the two of them the best of luck, but obviously our loyalty is to Sean.

“It will be good for jump racing if the two of them stay injury-free until the end of the season and have a good tussle.”

Asked to sum up Roccovango’s chance, Murphy said: “He’s a new recruit who had some nice novice form. I’d like to think he’s got a nice each-way chance.

“Harry Derham’s horse (Nordic Tiger) will be hard to beat escaping a penalty for winning last week, but I’d like to think my lad could be competitive and it would be magic if we can give Sean a winner on his first ride back.”



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Olly Murphy looking foward to a big weekend

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Stable stalwart Thomas Darby spearheads Olly Murphy’s bumper squad of horses on Saturday afternoon, with the trainer poised to saddle key runners across the country.

The 11-year-old is part of the furniture at Murphy’s Warren Chase base and was one of the horses who helped put the trainer on the map when finishing second in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2019.

Since then the seven-time winner has been a regular on the big days and counts victory in Newbury’s Long Distance Hurdle as one of his greatest accolades.

He will now seek another major prize in the rearranged Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase at Warwick, returning to the scene of his comfortable course-and-distance success in November.

“He’s in good form and obviously he’s off a lofty mark now but he has course-and-distance form round Warwick and seems in good order,” said Murphy.

“He was second in a Supreme behind Klassical Dream and has had success at a high level throughout his career.

“He has been a very good horse, just probably 7lb short of being a proper Grade One horse. But we’ve had some very good days. He’s won a Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury and he’s run well on many occasions at the highest level so to win a nice handicap like this would be great.

“Harry Skelton rides him and if he gets into a good rhythm I don’t see why he wouldn’t have a good each-way chance in a valuable race.”

Sporting the same silks of owner Diana Whateley is Chasing Fire who has always threatened to be a quality operator and is upped in class at Wetherby for a shot at the Grade Two William Hill Towton Novices’ Chase.

“He definitely runs at Wetherby and is in good form,” continued Murphy.

“He’s a horse that hasn’t achieved what I think he should have achieved yet, but it is still really early days for him.

“It will be a competitive race, but we’re looking forward to it and Brian Hughes rides him.”

Meanwhile, Thunder Rock could be tasked with a stiff-looking recovery mission if taking his chance in Kempton’s Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase.

The eight-year-old fluffed his lines when sent off favourite for Cheltenham’s December Gold Cup prior to Christmas and with Murphy toying with the idea of reverting to hurdles, is keen to give his charge another chance to prove himself over fences back in a small-field contest.

“We’re short of options and running him back in a handicap is probably not the right thing to do with him at the moment,” explained Murphy.

“We would rather run in a smaller-field Graded race if possible, but options are far and few between.

“He’s in good form, he just got a terrible fright at Cheltenham last time. If he runs it will be very much a confidence boosting run.

“Unfortunately I think he’s rather well-handicapped but we’re not able to put that to good use just yet. He’ll have a run back over fences whether that is Saturday or not and see how we go, and if it doesn’t work out we’ll go back over hurdles.”



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Thunder Rock none the worse for Cheltenham disappointment

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Olly Murphy could consider sending Thunder Rock back over hurdles later in the season following his disappointing performance in Saturday’s December Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Having got the better of subsequent Coral Gold Cup runner-up Mahler Mission on his seasonal debut at Carlisle, Thunder Rock lined up as favourite for the weekend’s feature handicap at Prestbury Park, but the alarm bells were ringing from an early stage and he was eventually pulled up by Sean Bowen.

Murphy reported the seven-year-old to be none the worse on Monday morning, but admits he could be entering the last-chance saloon as far as his chasing career is concerned.

“He’s absolutely fine, the writing was on the wall very early. He got into no rhythm and jumped very ordinary and after he jumped two or three (fences) he was in awful trouble,” he said.

“We’ll put a line through that and give him another run over fences in three or four weeks’ time, but I’m not sure where yet. I have toyed with the idea of going back over hurdles and if things don’t got to plan the next day he’ll be reverting back to smaller obstacles.”

While Thunder Rock’s class shone through in a four-runner race at Carlisle last month, Murphy feels the hustle and bustle of a big-field handicap is perhaps not his bag.

He added: “He’s not very big and while I didn’t think he’d do what he did on Saturday, it’s not the biggest surprise to me.

“We’ll dust ourselves down, get him back in full work and see what’s what, but his performance wasn’t a reflection of his ability or his health or anything like that. He just didn’t jump with any fluency and when you do that in those big handicaps you’re on the back foot straight away.

“When you have a long-term plan like that and you can see it’s not working out from an early stage it’s extremely frustrating, but that’s horses and we know he hasn’t lost his ability overnight.”

Murphy did enjoy better fortune at Cheltenham on Friday, with Go Dante providing his owner Barbara Hester with a first winner at Prestbury Park.

The seven-year-old retains the option of turning out quickly for the £150,000 Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot on Saturday after being left in at the confirmation stage, but he appears unlikely to line up.

“We’ll see what the handicapper does (on Tuesday), but I’d it’s unlikely,” said the trainer.

“He came out of Saturday well. I’d say it’s very unlikely he’ll run again this weekend, but if you’re not in you can’t win.”



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Ginny’s Destiny continues on upward curve at Cheltenham

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Ginny’s Destiny further strengthened Paul Nicholls’ already formidable hand in the novice chase division with an all-the-way victory at Cheltenham on Friday.

The champion trainer has unearthed a particularly deep crop of young chasers to go to war with this winter, including a trio of Grade Two winners in Stay Away Fay, Knappers Hill and Hermes Allen.

This seven-year-old’s rise through the ranks has been a little more unheralded – but having impressed in handicap company at the track’s November meeting, he took the next step up the ladder with another excellent front-running display in the Cheltenham & South-West Racing Club Novices’ Chase.

The challengers queued up to have a pop at the 5-2 shot racing down the hill, but one by one he saw them off under a typically well-judged ride from Harry Cobden and he had enough up his sleeve once pressed by 2-1 favourite Grey Dawning to win the day by three-quarters of a length.

Harry Cobden and Paul Nicholls following the victory of Ginny's Destiny
Harry Cobden and Paul Nicholls following the victory of Ginny’s Destiny (Simon Marper/PA)

“He puts them to the sword and he keeps galloping. He had improved a lot at home and worked brilliantly the other morning,” said Nicholls.

“Claudia (Reid), who rides him and Pic D’Orhy at home, said to me he is not far behind Pic D’Orhy the way he is improving, so she might be right.

“I might look at the £75,000 race at Warwick on January 13 (Hampton Novices’ Chase), as I think three miles around Warwick would be perfect for him.

“He is a good horse. Ground-wise, the softer it is, the better for him.”

Go Dante (7-2 favourite) provided his owner Barbara Hester with a birthday winner and a first success at Cheltenham in the Catesby Estates Handicap Hurdle.

Sixth in the more competitive Greatwood Hurdle last month, Olly Murphy’s inmate hit the front two flights from home and stuck to his guns to see off Doddiethegreat by a length and a quarter in the hands of Sean Bowen.

Murphy said: “This has been a long time coming. I’m not surprised. He is one of those horses that every time he runs, I go racing thinking that he will win.

“He has obviously won his races, but just not at a level I would have liked him to. He has had a lot of issues – he has broken his pelvis, and he had a schooling incident last season.

“Something like a Betfair Hurdle is what we could look at. He has loads of ability and that was great.”

La Malmason (11-4 favourite) gave leading Irish trainer Gavin Cromwell his sixth Cheltenham winner of the season in the Cheltenham Racecourse Food Bank Collection Mares’ Handicap Chase.

La Malmason (centre) jumps the final fence at Cheltenham
La Malmason (centre) jumps the final fence at Cheltenham (Simon Marper/PA)

Cromwell said: “She is a lovely mare and she jumped well enough. I think she is progressive. She didn’t pick up as good as I thought she would but listen, she has won.

“She unseated Keith (Donoghue) one day. When she is good, she is very good, but she has been making novicey mistakes. The last day at Down Royal, the last three fences were taken out and the winner (Found A Fifty) was very good, as he went on to be second in a Grade One.

“It is nice to see her find her feet and hopefully she can go on from here.”

The Venetia Williams-trained Cepage rolled back the years to lift the Unibet Middle Distance Chase Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase.

“He is still rattling around here at a rate of knots,” said the trainer. “All credit to the owners for giving him the time come back from various injuries. It has taken me this long to put the cheekpieces on him, but I was keen to reserve them for a decent race.

“He is a quirky horse. Jess, who is leading him up, and is my assistant, rides him all the time. Even at the age he is now, which is 11 going on 12, he has to be legged up in the barn, otherwise he might bolt. He is still daft as a brush!”

There were emotional scenes after the success of White Rhino (3-1 favourite) in the concluding Citipost Handicap Hurdle.

The training partnership of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero lost one of their stable stars in the preceding Glenfarclas Crystal Cup after Gesskille, a winner over the Grand National fences in last month’s Grand Sefton, suffered a fatal injury.

Jockey Henry Brooke, who was also on board Gesskille, showed great strength of character to dust himself down and steer White Rhino to victory, but was fighting back the tears afterwards.

White Rhino won the final race at Cheltenham on Friday
White Rhino won the final race at Cheltenham on Friday (Simon Marper/PA)

He said: “It’s emotional. I’ve composed myself a bit now, but I’ve had a winner at Cheltenham and I could nearly say it’s the worst day of my racing career so far.

“I’m gutted to lose that horse (Gesskille), he means so much to the whole yard, but you can’t take it away from this lad here (White Rhino) – he’s done his job.

“We’ve got to pick ourselves up. Gesskille has been a massive part of my career and I’ll be indebted to him for a long time.”

Guerriero added: “You would swap it around and not have a winner and have Gesskille back, but that is the way it is. Gesskille was a stable star and he literally put us on the map. He has been amazing. To lose him is so sad, but that is racing, unfortunately.

“White Rhino has been brilliant for these owners – he has been a star. We might try and get him qualified for the Pertemps Final and maybe come back here for the Festival.”



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Bob boosts future prospects with Sandown success

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Booster Bob could have an exciting future having stayed on strongly in testing ground to claim the Betfair Claremont Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown.

Sent off the 5-6 favourite for the Listed event, Olly Murphy’s five-year-old had previously relished testing conditions when claiming a Uttoxeter novice event by 18-lengths.

However, even he struggled to get into a rhythm in the deep ground at the Esher track and relied on his class to overhaul Helnwein once strenuously ridden after the last by Sean Bowen.

“I was never happy,” said Murphy. “I don’t think he jumped great for him and he loves that ground, but they went very steady and turned it into a sprint which wouldn’t have suited.

“He’s got a lot of ability and I don’t think he did a lot right today. I don’t think the hood suits him now, he wants that off.

“They went very steady and when you go steady in a tactical race, sat last of three isn’t the best place to be. He was very free as a bumper horse and he’s come a long way in a short period of time.”

Despite seeing Booster Bob as both a horse for further and fences, it is Haydock’s Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle (January 20) up next. However, a trip to the Cheltenham Festival appears off the cards for this season.

Booster Bob and connections after winning at Sandown
Booster Bob and connections after winning at Sandown (PA)

“Do I think he is a horse for the Supreme? No is the answer,” added Murphy.

“I think he’s an out and out chaser and he will probably go to Haydock now for the Supreme trial at the end of January – bad ground, two miles. He’s crying out for two and a half, but he can race with the choke out and I would be just worried about going two-and-a-half just yet.

“I wont blow his mind now this season. If there was a bit of slow ground at Aintree or something like that, then maybe. But going round Cheltenham in a 16-runner Grade One isn’t for this lad at the moment.”

Lucy Wadham’s Pretending made amends for a fall when going well at Fakenham recently when finally getting her head in front in the Betfair Supports Racing With Pride Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, while Tom Lacey’s Operation Manna justified 5-2 favouritism to bring up a hat-trick in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.

Operation Manna brought up a hat-trick on Saturday afternoon
Operation Manna brought up a hat-trick on Saturday afternoon (John Walton/PA)

Lacey suggested the seven-year-old is now deserving of a rest after three quick appearances and although Paddy Power go 14-1 series finale at the Cheltenham Festival, Operation Manna’s trainer was unsure whether that would be on the agenda for the spring.

Lacey said: “He’s a horse who has benefitted from another year on his back and he’s raw and he’s game isn’t he.

“He loves that ground and jumped very well out of it, which is always a concern.

“He’s run three times and won three relatively quickly and the horse deserves a break after going three miles round there. We won’t be in any rush until the end of January. You would look for something similar and it will stop raining at some point.”

Spirit D’Aunou gave Gary Moore a Sandown double
Spirit D’Aunou gave Gary Moore a Sandown double (John Walton/PA)

Gary Moore’s Spirit D’Aunou could join stablemate Hansard in Ascot’s Betfair Exchange Trophy on December 23 having toughed it out to land the Rachael Blackmore Serial Winners Fund Handicap Hurdle.

“The ground probably wasn’t soft for him (at Cheltenham) last time and they went very slow and his first run of the season he was very fresh,” said Josh Moore, assistant to his father.

“He looked well beaten coming down the hill, but hit the line well which is always a good sign at Cheltenham – it is always good when a horse finishes well round there.

“It was always the plan to come here and with the benefit of the run he was less keen and I’m glad it worked out.

“I think you can look towards the really competitive two-mile handicap hurdles for the rest of the season and I just hope it will be soft ground for them days because I think he’s better on it.

“He’s in the Betfair Exchange Trophy and that comes fairly soon, but if he’s fit and well and conditions are right for that, it would probably be the next step for him.

“We’ve done well the last two weekends and they (Spirit D’Aunou and Hansard) could end up taking on each other.”



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Thunder getting ready to Rock and roll into Cheltenham

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Thunder Rock is being prepared for the Virgin Bet December Gold Cup Handicap Chase next month, with Olly Murphy keen to have a crack at Cheltenham’s valuable pre-Christmas feature.

The seven-year-old won his first two outings over the larger obstacles before running with credit in some high-class events last term and impressed on his return to action at Carlisle with a victory over Mahler Mission in the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Chase.

The runner-up is disputing favouritism for Saturday’s Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, with Murphy targeting handicap riches of his own at Cheltenham on December 16.

There is a prize-fund of £130,000 up for grabs in the showpiece event of Prestbury Park’s December Meeting and the Warren Chase handler is keen to take his chance while Thunder Rock is currently rated 146 over fences.

“He’s in good form and he’s being trained for the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham,” said Murphy.

“That’s the plan of action and it’s his turn to try to win at Cheltenham and we’re going to have a go at a really good handicap. He’s come out of Carlisle really well and he’s going to be trained for that race.

“It wasn’t a humungous entry so we’re going to have a go and it’s unbelievable prize-money. He actually ran really well over course and distance there in January in the Dipper, he’s in good form, we’ll go there fresh and we’re looking forward to running him.”

Strong Leader bounced back to form at Ascot
Strong Leader (left) bounced back to form at Ascot (Nigel French/PA)

Murphy is also taking plenty of encouragement from the return to form of Strong Leader, who bounced back from disappointing in the Welsh Champion Hurdle to finish a gallant second to the improving Blueking D’Oroux in Ascot’s Coral Hurdle.

It was the first time the Grade One runner-up had competed over further than two miles and the trainer believes there will be more to come over intermediate and staying distances as the season progresses.

Murphy continued: “I would imagine you will see him over further in time and he probably didn’t jump as well as he can. Whether that has cost him the race or didn’t cost him the race, I don’t know but it certainly didn’t help his cause.

“I’m not sure where we will go yet and I haven’t spoken to his owners, but there are handicap options over Christmas, there’s the Relkeel Hurdle (Cheltenham, January 1) and there’s a two-and-a-half-mile Graded race at Lingfield over Winter Millions weekend in January.

“Those types of races will be on the cards and don’t be surprised if you see him over three miles before the end of the season. But I think we will see him improve an awful lot and we haven’t seen the finished article yet.

“He’s definitely a horse who wants a trip and two miles is far too sharp for him. I’m looking forward to making a plan for him and it will definitely be over middle distances or even further.”



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