Tag Archive for: Thunder Rock

Thunder Rock gets Bowen rolling again with Kelso victory

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Thunder Rock provided Sean Bowen with his biggest success since returning from injury in the Listed bet365 Premier Chase at Kelso.

Bowen – who has seen his lead at the top of the jockeys’ championship eroded and then passed by Harry Cobden – has struggled for winners since his return to action but victory on one of Olly Murphy’s stable stars will have done him the world of good.

Given a patient ride, Thunder Rock grew in confidence as the race progressed, as Minella Drama, Aye Right and Elvis Mail tried to stretch things.

Grand National fancy Monbeg Genius struggled to get on terms and when Thunder Rock went cruising on by as they turned into the straight, it was clear he had no more to give.

Thunder Rock found plenty in the home straight and the heavily-backed 9-4 favourite came home seven lengths clear of Minella Drama, booking himself a ticket to Aintree and a step back up in class.

Thunder Rock and Sean Bowen come home clear
Thunder Rock and Sean Bowen come home clear (Nick Robson/PA)

Bowen said: “He proved he stays three miles. They went quick and every time I gave him a squeeze he picked up.

“I was confident where I was and Olly gave me a lot of confidence going out to ride him. I’d been riding a lot more seconds than winners since I came back and I was getting a bit frustrated. It always helps having a good boss like that.”

Murphy said: “I really enjoyed that. I went to Cheltenham in December when I felt like I’d set him up for a big handicap but he may as well have pulled up and it’s been an upward curve since then.

“He ran well the last day at Musselburgh on the wrong track when he was wheel-spinning for two and a half miles but it did his confidence good.

“I said to Sean not to get in a battle with him and ride him with confidence because he was the classiest horse in the race and to make that tell and he did just that.

“It’s been hard for Sean, he’s riding through pain and we’ve had a quiet couple of weeks ourselves so this will do him the world of good.”

He added: “I think we’ll go to Aintree with him for the Bowl now, it’s a Grade One so he’ll need to step up again but a small field suits him and he’ll be back over 150 in a handicap again.”



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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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Walsh opts for Scottish flavour to Cheltenham feature

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JP McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry admitted Mark Walsh found it tough to choose between top-weight Fakir D’oudairies and So Scottish in the Virgin Bet December Gold Cup, before coming down on the side of the latter.

Perhaps not appropriately named given he is owned, trained and will be ridden by an Irishman, So Scottish is only six and followed a very typical softly-softly campaign favoured by his trainer Emmet Mullins last season.

He won a maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan, a novice chase at Tipperary and a three-runner event at Carlisle, before finishing second to Boothill in a £100,000 race at Ascot.

The winner is now rated 18lb higher, while So Scottish went on to finish unplaced at Cheltenham and Aintree before a quiet comeback at Gowran.

Joseph O’Brien’s Fakir D’oudairies, on the other hand, has provided Walsh with Grade One wins at Ascot, Aintree and Fairyhouse.

Berry said: “It was a difficult choice for Mark, as he’s had some great days on Fakir, and he’s in great form and Joseph is happy with him, but he decided to go with Emmet’s.

“It’s hard to choose a top-weight when you’ve got the option of one younger with less weight. Fakir has been very good to Mark and it was hard, but he’s gone with So Scottish.

“I certainly wouldn’t rule out the top-weight, his last run was in a Grade One and now he’s in a handicap. Joseph is happy and he goes there in good order.

“With the other one, we’ll learn a little bit more on Saturday, hopefully he puts in a good round and runs well. His run with Boothill looks good form now.”

Jonjo O’Neill jnr rides Fakir D’oudairies.

Thunder Rock holds solid claims for Olly Murphy
Thunder Rock holds solid claims for Olly Murphy (Steve Welsh/PA)

Olly Murphy’s Thunder Rock has been favourite all week and the trainer feels he has enjoyed the perfect preparation.

“He ticks a lot of boxes, but that being said, it is still a very competitive handicap worth a lot of money,” said the Wilmcote handler.

“This is his first run in a handicap, he’s very well in himself and schooled well on Thursday morning and I’m looking forward to running him. Hopefully, we get a bit of luck in running, and hopefully he’ll run very well.

“You’d maybe think the handicapper wouldn’t let him run off 146 given how his Carlisle run has worked out.

“He’s in good form, I’m really glad he’s got a run under his belt, he’s coming into it a relatively fresh horse and I really think this outer track will suit him really well, it’s more of a staying track.

“He ran well in the Dipper there last year and stayed on strongly, so hopefully he can get into a rhythm early and we’ll see how he gets on.”

Harry Cobden has stuck with Monmiral
Harry Cobden has stuck with Monmiral (David Davies/PA)

Paul Nicholls runs two in Il Ridoto and Monmiral, with Harry Cobden choosing the latter.

“He’s a Grade One winner over hurdles and ran very well over fences last season against some top horses like Jonbon and The Real Whacker,” Nicholls told Betfair of Monmiral.

“But he probably wasn’t quite right last winter, so we gave him a wind op in the summer because we felt he was struggling with his breathing. His homework this autumn has been really good and he also pleased us in a recent away day.

“I’m going down the handicap route and targeting this race because he is a class horse on an attractive mark of 145. Harry Cobden was keen to ride Monmiral after partnering him in a piece of work.”

On Il Ridoto, Nicholls said: “He is consistent and always runs well, but the task is a bit harder now running off a 5lb higher mark.

“Il Ridoto again ran a solid race in finishing third behind Stage Star in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last month. He might improve plenty from that first run of the season, but will need to if he is to win this.”

Lower down the weights is Alan King’s Grandeur D’Ame, a wide-margin winner at Wetherby last time out.

“I would have liked the weights to have gone up,” said King.

“It’s a big step up for him, but we’ll let him have a crack and see where we are.”

Grandeur D’Ame is 1lb out of the handicap, with Gavin Cromwell’s Railway Hurricane is even further out of the weights.

“Unfortunately, he’s 5lb out of the handicap, but we have a 5lb claimer (Connor Stone-Walsh),” said Cromwell.

“He’s pretty consistent and runs well without winning. It’s a nice pot and he’ll take his chance.”



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Thunder Rock camp have high hopes of striking Gold this weekend

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Owner Max McNeill feels Virgin Bet December Gold Cup favourite Thunder Rock may still have the required improvement up his sleeve to progress out of handicaps.

Olly Murphy’s seven-year-old spent most of last season competing in graded novice chases, just coming up short against the likes of Gerri Colombe and The Real Whacker.

However, the form of his last two races looks especially strong, as he signed off last season finishing second to subsequent Coral Gold Cup winner Datsalrightgino at Ayr before reappearing at Carlisle and beating Mahler Mission, second in the Newbury showpiece.

“His last two runs could not have worked out any better really,” said McNeill.

“I was really disappointed at Ayr last season, we thought he probably should have won but the winner has gone on and won the Coral Gold Cup.

“Then at Carlisle this season, beating Mahler Mission, who was second in the Coral, and we beat him easily, with the Topham winner (Bill Baxter) behind as well – the form has really been franked.

“This is a race we targeted straight after Carlisle with Olly. We are hoping we are a Graded horse, but this will tell us where we are; will he stay in these good handicaps or can he make the step up to graded level.”

Assessing the opposition, McNeill acknowledges the main threat could come from a camp he knows well, champion trainer Paul Nicholls.

Thunder Rock on his way to victory at Ascot last season
Thunder Rock on his way to victory at Ascot last season (John Walton/PA)

“Looking at the race, there are six or seven you’d think can win. I was speaking to Paul Nicholls on Wednesday and he said he hoped I wouldn’t be too disappointed when he beats us on Saturday!” said McNeill.

“He really likes Monmiral, but we beat him quite nicely at Sandown I thought, and we were closing on him fast in the Dipper before that when The Real Whacker won, and we didn’t jump well that day.

“Paul is confident he’s got him right after a long break and Harry (Cobden) has chosen him but his other runner, Il Ridoto, has a chance, too. It’s going to be a tight race and it’s great to be involved.

“We’re sort of thinking we’ll get one chance to win a big handicap off 146 and, for once, we think he’s well handicapped. We think he’s a good horse and the dream is still alive that he can run in a Grade One here or there, and who’s to say he can’t have a crack at the Ryanair if he runs well in this.

“This time last year, we were in the Graded novice chases and he wasn’t a million miles behind Gerri Colombe and look what he’s rated now. I’m not saying ours is Gerri Colombe by any stretch, but I do think he’s handicapped to a level where he should be really competitive on Saturday.”

McNeill, who sponsors a contest at the Cheltenham Festival in March through his Ultima brand, has famously never won a race at the big meeting, and admits he would forego that for another year if it meant he was successful on Saturday.

He said: “I know this isn’t March, but if somebody said to me you can win a December Gold Cup but not have a winner at the Festival, I’d sign it now!”

A total of 12 were declared on Thursday, with JP McManus responsible for top-weight Fakir D’oudairies and Emmett Mullins’ So Scottish.

Fugitif, Grandeur D’Ame and Frero Banbou are also among the field, of which four are out of the handicap.



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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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Thunder Rock set to stick to chasing route after Colin Parker triumph

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Thunder Rock got his season off to a perfect start with victory in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle.

The seven-year-old was placed in graded company on multiple occasions last term after winning his first two outings over fences, rounding off his campaign with a length-and-three-quarter second in an Ayr Grade Two.

Beauport and Monbeg Genius were both non runners in the Carlisle, leaving just four runners to go to post with Thunder Rock sent off the 11-8 favourite in the hands of Sean Bowen.

Mahler Mission set out to make all in his usual style and it looked as though he might well prevail with two fences to jump as both Thunder Rock and Bill Baxter were under pressure.

However, Thunder Rock kept finding for Bowen on the run to the last, taking the final obstacle slightly ahead before pulling away from Mahler Mission on the run to the line to win by three and a half lengths. Bill Baxter was a further 10 lengths back in third, with the other runner, Bass Rock, pulled up.

Thunder Rock won four of his six hurdles starts for trainer Olly Murphy in the 2021-22 season and the trainer admitted he could well have turned the gelding’s attentions back to the smaller obstacles had he met with defeat in Cumbria.

He said: “He’s a horse with a big engine and we were kind of coming here today thinking if he wins, great, but if he doesn’t we will probably go back over hurdles. You can see he’s not the most robust horse in the world but he’s a got a big heart and he wants it and when a horse wants it, you’re sort of three-quarters of the way there.

“Where we go from today, I haven’t a clue. I discussed the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury with Max (McNeill, part-owner) and I just thought maybe a 20-runner handicap probably wouldn’t be for him. He’s (rated) 146 and I would imagine he will go up to the guts of 150 after today.

“I don’t know, off his rating he’s a horse that probably wants to step up into proper open graded company. There’s a Grade Two at Ascot over Christmas, I don’t know, something along the lines of that and see where we go.

“It’s very early to be talking about the Ryanair, but it’s the first step up the ladder, he’s a horse we will definitely keep chasing for the time being.

“He’s a gritty horse and I would love to have another 10 like him, he has a fantastic attitude, Sean got a good tune out of him and he’s giving his owners a lot of fun.”

McNeill is looking forward to seeing how far Thunder Rock can go now he is set on a chasing course.

He said: “It was a bit of a cup final for him today in terms of where do we go. You know, you’re standing at the station and could we go left or right – do we stick over hurdles if he didn’t run well today or were we going to keep over fences?

“On that performance, he missed the third last a bit, but I think he’s going to have to stay over fences. He’s an exciting prospect, he really is – I mean he was nearly there last year wasn’t he?”

Paddy Power cut Johnnywho to 16-1 from 20s for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival following an easy victory in the Beaumont Novices’ Hurdle.

Trained by Jonjo O’Neill and ridden by his son Jonjo jnr, the 4-5 favourite beat Moon D’Orange by two lengths having barely come off the bridle.



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Thunder Rock ready to step up for Festival test

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Thunder Rock will be tested over three miles for the first time when he lines up in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Olly Murphy-trained seven-year-old made a fine start to the season, winning his first two chasing appearances by a combined 13 lengths. But his progress was halted by the pre-Christmas cold snap, meaning he missed an intended engagement at Ascot and was rerouted to the Dipper Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

On that occasion he was a staying-on third behind The Real Whacker having jumped without his usual zest and it was a similar tale at Sandown in the Scilly Isles, when he filled the same bronze medal position behind Gerri Colombe.

Owned by the McNeill Family and Ian Dale, Thunder Rock has just over five lengths to find with Gordon Elliott’s general 7-4 favourite for the Festival’s three-mile novice chase, but Murphy is hoping the slower pace of the extended trip can allow him to jump with more fluency and therefore close the gap on some of his old rivals.

“He will run in the three-miler,” said Murphy. “He’s in good form and we’re looking forward to stepping up in trip. He’ll be ridden cold and hopefully will be able to come home strong.

“He would have an each-way chance, but would have a bit to find with Gordon’s horse (Gerri Colombe).

Thunder Rock ridden by jockey Adrian Heskin winning over hurdles at Ayr last year
Thunder Rock ridden by jockey Adrian Heskin winning over hurdles at Ayr last year (Steve Welsh/PA)

“He doesn’t work like he wants three miles, but probably jumps like he does, so hopefully this will just slow the emphasis on speed in the race and hopefully it won’t put as much pressure on his jumping.

“On his run with The Real Whacker (in the Dipper), he looks a big price at double figures when The Real Whacker is 5-1. I felt we should have finished in front of him the last time we met, so we’re looking forward to having another go and he’s an each-way chance.”

Murphy is in the process of putting the finishing touches to his Cheltenham squad’s preparations and has a couple of aces up his sleeve for the Festival opener, where his duo Chasing Fire and Strong Leader are swimming under the radar.

Exciting prospect Chasing Fire is one of two on course to appear in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle for Olly Murphy at the Cheltenham Festival
Exciting prospect Chasing Fire is one of two on course to appear in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle for Olly Murphy at the Cheltenham Festival (Steven Paston/PA)

Both are said to be in good form ahead of their Prestbury Park assignment in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – a race in which the Warren Chase handler saw Thomas Darby and Itchy Feet finish second and third respectively at big prices in 2019.

“I’m looking forward to running the pair of them, Chasing Fire and Strong Leader,” continued Murphy.

“They are both unbeaten but both now have to step up in grade and hopefully they go there with each-way chances and, with a bit of luck on their side, can run well. They are both in good form, but you would be hopeful more than confident.”

The aforementioned Itchy Feet has been with Murphy since the beginning and, now nine, has bounced back to his best returned to hurdles of late.

A winner at Huntingdon on his penultimate outing, before finishing a close second in the Rendlesham at Haydock, he is a best-priced 25-1 for the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Final on day three of the Festival.

“I’m a little bit worried about how well he will handle a big field, but he’s still handicapped to run well on the best of his chase form and has been in good form,” explained Murphy.

“Going back over hurdles has certainly helped him. He’s just been a lot more comfortable and shows he retains plenty of ability and we will look forward to having a go at the Pertemps with him.”



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Chasing Fire has sparked Supreme ambitions for Murphy

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Exciting prospect Chasing Fire is on course to appear next in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Olly Murphy-trained six-year-old took his record over timber to a perfect three with victory at Sandown on Saturday, to stay unbeaten in his career to date having also won a bumper and his point-to-point.

Sent off the 4-6 favourite for what was a step up in class in the Virgin Bet Novices’ Hurdle, he handled it with ease to account for market rival Iliko D’Olivate – to whom he was giving 4lb – by six lengths.

“I was chuffed with him, he did really well. He was given a mark of 136 and I’m going to go straight to the Supreme with him, all being well,” said Murphy.

“He’s done everything right and I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.

“He’s on track and we’re looking forward to it.”

Meanwhile, Murphy could step Thunder Rock up in trip for his next outing following his good third to Gerri Colombe in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase on the same Sandown card.

Having won his first two starts over fences, he lost his unbeaten record to The Real Whacker at Cheltenham on his penultimate run and filled the same spot on his first test in Grade One company.

Thunder Rock, owned by the McNeill family and Ian Dale, had travelled well at the back of the seven-strong field before making stealthy headway approaching the second-last in the two-and-a-half-mile contest, only for Gerri Colombe to find plenty.

In finishing five and a half lengths adrift of Gordon Elliott’s impressive winner, Murphy was more than satisfied with the run.

He could swerve both respective Cheltenham engagements, the Brown Advisory and Turners Novices’ Chases, however.

“I was delighted with him. I thought he was going to win at the second-last, but he just kind of flattened out,” said Murphy.

“I would imagine we will step him up to three miles, which I never thought I’d be saying. I’m not sure where he is going to go, but he might just be less likely, rather than more likely, to go to Cheltenham now.

“Whether we freshen him up and go straight to Aintree for the three-mile race (Mildmay Novices’ Chase) or give him a race in between and go to Cheltenham, there’s still a lot to be discussed with owners and internal race managers.”

Murphy’s string has been in fine form of late and he added: “I built myself up and genuinely thought he’d win on Saturday.

“He has run very well and he was an 11-2 shot. He has probably run to his odds, if you look at it from that point of view.

“We just fell short with him, but he is a good horse and he is going to win a lot of races. He’s rated 149 and he will have another race or two as a novice. He is going to be an exciting horse to go to war with next year.”

Murphy also suggested a return to a flatter track might suit.

He added: “I didn’t think the ground was too bad on the chase track. I think he was as good as he was on the day and I don’t think there was any excuse. He got into a nice rhythm and got a good ride from Adrian Heskin.

Olly Murphy could swerve Cheltenham with Thunder Rock
Olly Murphy could swerve Cheltenham with Thunder Rock (Edward Whitaker/PA)

“At the second-last I thought he was going to take off, but the leader pulled away. He ran very well and I’m very proud of the horse, and he has been a star for the last year and a half.

“Arguably his best runs have been on flat tracks, that’s the only thing I’d say.

“He was very impressive round Wetherby when he beat a horse of Ben Case’s (Cobblers Dream) who won the Lanzarote Hurdle afterwards. He was very impressive at Ayr, he won round Musselburgh, and arguably he might be a better horse on a flat track. I might be completely wrong, though!”



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