COLM Murphy has a solid team of horses for the season and while he might lack a Grade 1 horse, you just never know, one of the younger brigade might just improve into a top level performer over the coming weeks and months.
He explained: “We are busy with fewer horses but we are busy all the same. We are down a bit numbers wise but we have 35 riding out. We were spoilt having the likes of Brave Inca but you are always hoping that the next one isn’t too far away and we have some lovely young horses in the yard.
“We’ll let them find their feet and we’ll get them going once we get a drop of rain. They have summered well and they are just ticking over but they look great. We had a great summer and the horses that were out for a break really thrived.
‘‘They are good and healthy and as soon as the rain does come, we’ll get them going.”
BLACK ZAMBEZI
5yo b g: 1
Kalanisi – Juresse
Winning Ways Iontach Syndicate
He looked a good horse when he won his bumper at Gowran. He was green but he got the job done. He jumps well but we’ll find a winners’ bumper for him and see what level he can reach. We never dipped him at home but everything he has done, he has done it well and I would have been disappointed if he was beaten at Gowran.
He is a horse with a nice future and there should be more to come from him. The next day should tell us more and he does things very easy. He is one to look forward to and as I say, the next day will tell us a lot. He has scope for improvement and he has to keep improving, but he has done all that has been asked of him.
CATALAUNIAN FIELDS
5yo b g: 2/3
Fair Mix – Leading Lady
Gigginstown House Stud
He had a good first run for us at Tipperary last week. He just got a bit tired but he will come on a good bit for that. Hopefully he’ll keep on improving but on the back of that run, you’d be hoping that he might be good enough to win a maiden hurdle. He should jump a fence as well and we’ll see how he gets on the next day. If he won a maiden he might go the novice route. We’ll get the next day out of the way first and make a plan from there.
CORR POINT
7yo b g: /5445127/77-
Azamour – Naazeq
Exors of Declan Hogan
He just hasn’t found his form this year - he has a lot of little issues but I’ll try and get a mark for him before the ground changes. He will do a bit of both. He hops off fast ground but his jumping has let him down. If he can iron those little blips out, there should be a little chase to be won with him. He will have a break over the winter.
EMPIRE OF DIRT
7yo b g: 5/15202415-
Westerner - Rose Of Inchiquin
Gigginstown House Stud
I’d imagine that we’ll go chasing with him and he developed into a useful horse over hurdles for us last season. His pedigree suggests that he will be a better chaser. He should improve for going chasing and he is a real winter horse so we’ll wait for the rain to come before we start him off. He was rated 130 over hurdles but we have been minding him with a view to going chasing. He has only had the nine runs in his life and he strikes me as horse that will improve with age and for going a trip.
GLAM GERRY
10yo b g /0400-
Dr Massini - Daraheen Diamond
Barry Connell
He just wasn’t in love with fences so I’d say we’ll keep him over hurdles. We might get a run into him on flat before the season ends. He is ready to start back and he looks great. There is a race in Galway for him and there is a hurdle for him at Cork. He runs well fresh and he seems to handle all types of ground. There should be another day in him this season.
KILLINEY COURT
5yo b g 7098-3236
King’s Theatre - Thimble Royale
Barry Connell
He has been a bit unlucky not to win his maiden. He missed a couple of hurdles last weekend but he should be able to win his maiden hurdle. He has just met a few too good but on his day, he is a nice horse and he does handle slower ground as well, so we’ll keep him on the go and try and win a little maiden hurdle. Hopefully he will have his day.
MARLBROOK
6yo b g: 11/3F0-
Beneficial – Drinadaly
J.P. McManus
He looks a million dollars but I am not sure what route he’ll go. He disappointed us the last day over hurdles. He will do a bit of everything. He is a good horse but we’ll just feel our way with him and see how he is in a month’s time. He has the option of going chasing and he does stay well. He wants a good dig in the ground.
MERRY WESTERNER
5yo b g: FF4-
Westerner - Merry Bar Lady
Thomas Friel
He had just the one run when fourth in a maiden hurdle at Gowran last year. He wants a good dig in the ground and the softer the ground and the longer he goes the better. He will go for a bumper and I’d be a bit disappointed if he couldn’t get involved at the business end in one on very soft ground. He jumps well and he looks a real three-mile chaser.
MISTER HOTELIER
7yo b g: -B4331
Beneficial - Accordian Lady
Mark McDonagh
He did it well when he won over fences at Limerick. He deserved that and he has been running well all year. That win should do his confidence the power of good and we’ll win what we can with him before we leave him off for a break over the winter. I fancied him at the weekend and he handles soft ground as well. He has been settling better on the better ground.
PRESENTING BEARA
6yo b g: -2P411
Presenting - Ginger Bar
Winning Ways Solar Syndicate
He is settling much better over three miles and he loves a bit of good ground. He has been improving and hopefully there should be more to come from him. He handles most types of ground but he has been on the go all summer, so he’ll have a break and we’ll have him back for a spring campaign. He has done well for us and we’ll see if we can win another handicap chase before we leave him off.
QUITO DE LA ROQUE
10yo b g/F475PP
Saint Des Saints - Moody Cloud
Gigginstown House Stud
He has been very good to us. He had a good summer break and he looks to be in super shape. He isn’t the horse that he was but he retains plenty of enthusiasm for the game and we’ll ease him back into action by starting him back in a point-to-point. We could have a right bit of fun with him and as long as he enjoys it, we’ll go down that route. He bled very badly in the English National but I am hoping that was a once off. He has never looked as well so as soon as we get a drop of rain, he’ll be ready to rock.
RYANSBROOK
6yo b g F625-70
Alderbrook - Lost Link
Thomas Friel
He is another that is waiting for a dig in the ground. Things just happened a bit quick for him and as a result he lost his way a bit, but with a good break under his belt, he’ll be fine. He should improve and he should be capable of winning a race or two over hurdles before we send him chasing.
RYE MARTINI
7yo b g: 1/16301/433-
Catcher In The Rye - Nocturne In March
Gigginstown House Stud
He is waiting for a dig in the ground and he is ready to run. I’d like think that he could be running in some nice novice chases and he has run twice over fences for us already and those runs should stand to him when he goes back chasing.
He should get three miles but we’ll start him back over two and a half as he has been a bit keen. He has the potential to develop into a nice horse over fences and he looks great after a summer break.
He has won over two and two and a half and for a seven-year-old, he doesn’t have a lot of racing done. He was a 130 plus horse over hurdles and he is one to look forward to. I’d be disappointed with him if he couldn’t win a novice chase.
TOP SPIN
7yo b g NH: /4312-33
Cape Cross – Beguine
J.P. McManus
He wants a bit of nice ground and he has been running well without getting his head in front. We’ll keep going with him before the ground goes for him and while he has been a bit disappointing, we have had a bit of a stop/start summer with him.
TRIPLE ISLAND
5yo b g: 6-
Turtle Island – Rixdale
Mrs Teresa Murphy
He was weak when he ran in a bumper at Fairyhouse last season – I shouldn’t have run him at all but he has summered well and he has strengthened up a lot. He goes well and I’d be disappointed if he didn’t go very close in a bumper before we send him over hurdles. He handles soft ground.
THE WESTENER BOY
7yo b g: /2231PF/32-
Westerner – Designer Lady
J.P. McManus
He is another that wants a trip and he does handle heavy ground, so he will be one for some of the better handicap chases and hurdles during the winter. He hasn’t done a whole pile of racing and he looks great after a good summer break. We’ll speak to Frank and J.P. but hopefully there will be a good day in him somewhere along the way.
UNRACED HORSES
Star Gesture g
He works well and he is nearly ready to start off. He does jump very well so I might start him off over hurdles and I like him. Once we get a bit of nice ground he’ll be ready to run.
Vinnie Roe g
He goes well and we will start him off in a bumper. He jumps well and he has done all that has been asked of him. He is not too far off a run and we like him.
FACTFILE
Name: Colm Murphy
Address: Ballinadrummin, Killena, Gorey, Co Wexford
Telephone: 086 2629538
Numbers: 35
Jockeys: We will use the best available but Robbie Power has been lucky for us and we will use him when we can. A few of the owners have their own retained jockeys.