Tag Archive for: Thomas Darby

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.”

Thomas Darby delights Murphy with Ayr chasing success

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Olly Murphy was “over the moon” to see his high-class hurdler and stable stalwart Thomas Darby open his account over fences after a thrilling battle with Gold Cup Bailly in the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at Ayr.

It will be four years next month since Thomas Darby finished best of the rest behind Klassical Dream in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, after which an intended novice chasing campaign the following season was aborted after just two starts.

Now aged 10, the son of Beneficial has since plied his trade over the smaller obstacles – enjoying big-race success in the Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle at Ascot in 2020 and in last season’s Grade Two Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury.

Going back over fences for the first time since finishing a distant third at Kempton in November 2019, Thomas Darby was the outsider of four in Scotland, but proved he is no back number with a determined display under top-weight.

Gold Cup Bailly, bidding to make it four from four over fences and out to record a third successive win at the track, was the 5-6 favourite under Daryl Jacob and attempted to make all, with 15-2 shot Thomas Darby always his nearest pursuer in the hands of Sean Bowen.

The pair went at it hammer and tongs racing down the back straight for the second time, with no quarter given, but following a pulsating duel for home, it was Thomas Darby who claimed top honours by a length and a quarter.

Murphy said: “I thought he jumped unbelievably well for a horse who hadn’t run over fences for over three years and I’m absolutely over the moon.

“I hadn’t pursued his career over fences for one reason or another, but he got in a lovely rhythm and got a fantastic ride off Sean.

“It was a very competitive race for Ayr on a Wednesday and to win off 145 I thought was a good performance.”

Trainer Olly Murphy
Trainer Olly Murphy (David Davies/PA)

Considering future plans, the trainer added: “I don’t know where we’ll go from here, but we’ll have a bit of fun with him over fences. We’ll maybe go and boss a few smaller fields somewhere and if there’s a sexier target towards the end of the season, then great.

“I won’t be getting too excited. We might just try to win something small under a penalty.

“For him and Itchy Feet to have won in the same week, it’s testament to all my staff at home. These horses have been on the go for a long time and they’re not getting any younger, but to keep them sweet and happy and enjoying their racing, I’m chuffed to bits.”

Bowen was completing a double on the card, having brought up his century for the season aboard John McConnell’s Jackpot De Choisel (30-100 favourite) in the Racing TV Juvenile Hurdle.

He made it a treble – and a double for Murphy – with Booster Bob (9-4) triumphing in the We’re Racing Next On 14th February Open National Hunt Flat Race.