THE widespread disruption from Storm Emma stretched far and wide across the country last week, and with all of last week’s point-to-point fixtures called off, handlers in many parts have been affected by the fallout.
Wexford was one of the worst hit counties, providing challenging conditions for so many of the handlers who are located in the south-east, and Denis Murphy is still facing a daily struggle to exercise the horses at his Ballyboy stables.
“We haven’t been on the gallop since Thursday (week last) and there are still drifts of snow at the top of it that are six and seven foot high. I will be lucky to get on that part of the gallop next week – it’s that slow to clear.
“We’re like the beachcombers at the minute up and down to the beach to work the horses and we have a grass field over the road that is clear to use as well.”
In the second part of the stable tour focussing on his team of four-year-olds, Murphy runs through his plans for a classy bunch of youngsters who hail from the families of graded performers such as Accordion Etoile, Foxrock and Glenelly Gale.
ARD ABHAINN
4yo br f
Jeremy – Sheer Frustration
(Montelimar)
P.G. Coffey
She is a big fine filly that Pat bought at the Derby Sale. She is out of a Montelimar mare who won a couple of races on the track for Paul Nolan. My sister Bernadette did all the pre-training with her and she is coming along well. The plan would be to hopefully get her out later in the spring and being by Jeremy, the better ground at that time of the year should definitely suit her.
BOSS LOGAN
4yo b g
Jeremy – Burton Skyline
(Presenting)
Edelle Logan
He is a very nice horse that we think a lot of. Joey (Logan) paid €40,000 for him at the Derby Sale and there are a lot of blacktype winners on his page like Glenelly Gale, Cab On Target and Operation Houdini. This Jeremy gelding is a big fine horse and a good goer. He has done a couple of very nice pieces of work up on the Curragh and we are very happy with everything that he has done so far. He will be out very soon, hopefully within the next couple of weeks.
BUSINESSMAN
4yo b g
Milan – Back Of The Pack
(Anshan)
Denis Murphy
I bought him at the Land Rover Sale and he is a nice horse who could be out in the next month too. His dam is Back Of The Pack who won plenty of races for Colin Kidd including a Grade 3 chase and he is a sharp type of a horse. He would probably like a bit of nicer ground than what we have at the minute. Once that comes, he should be out.
COLLOONEY
4yo b g
Yeats – Amber Trix
(Scribano)
Denis Murphy
He is a nice Yeats gelding that is going away well. His dam was a bumper winner and her first foal won his point for Colin Bowe. He is a sharp type. The ground is just a bit too soft for him at the minute but he will be out within the next month on a bit of nicer ground.
GLENGAR
4yo b g
Stowaway – Accordion Royale
(Accordion)
P.G. Coffey
He is very nice and really well related. His dam is an own-sister to Paul Nolan’s Grade 1 winner Accordion Etoile and French Accordion who won a couple of Grade 2 races. He is a big fine horse by Stowaway who has been represented by some lovely horses since he died. He has done a couple of very nice pieces of work and I am looking to get him out in the next three to four weeks.
HARRY SENIOR
4yo b g
Oscar – Surf Like A Lady
(Presenting)
Alan Harte
He is a lovely horse out of a half-sister to Foxrock. There is a great pull out of him and he goes terribly well. Everything he is doing is really pleasing us. I am not sure if he will run in the spring, we will know in the next few weeks, but he is definitely one to look forward to.
EUCLYDE DUBREAU
4yo b g
Anzillero – Oska D’Airy
(Cadoubel)
Edelle Logan
This is a nice Anzillero gelding that is related to plenty of winners in France. Alan and Joey buy really well-bred types and that shows in the horses that they have had, like Finian’s Oscar, Poli Roi, Champagne West and Champers On Ice. He is going away well and is a nice horse who could quite possibly be one that we aim at the autumn. He is a big horse with loads of scope so we are in no rush with him.
EUROWORK
4yo br g
Network – Nandina
(Bulington)
Alan Harte
He is a very nice French-bred that Alan bought for €70,000 at the Derby Sale. Two of his half-brothers have already won races in France and I would like to have him out in the next month or so. He has been away to the Curragh a couple of times and has done some very good work, so we are looking forward to getting him out.
GIPSY LEE ROSE
4yo gr f
Walk In The Park – Vanoo D’Orthe
(Valanour)
Alan Harte
She is a lovely Walk In The Park that cost €45,000 at the Land Rover Sale and goes very well at the minute. She has done some very nice pieces of work recently and I would say that we will be looking at getting her out in the next two to three weeks all going well. She is smart.
GREY GETAWAY
4yo br g
Getaway – Miss Greylands
(Alflora)
Edelle Logan
Joey bought him at the Derby Sale and he is from the family of See More Business and Splash Of Ginge. He has done some nice pieces of work so far. The snow has held us up a good bit this week which hasn’t been a help. We will keep tipping away with him to see if we can get him out this season, but we might look at the autumn for him.
L’AIR DU VENT
4yo b g
Coastal Path – Bleu Perle
(Pistolet Bleu)
Alan Harte
He is a big horse by Coastal Path that goes strongly. Alan paid €70,000 for him at the Derby Sale and he has a big pedigree. His half-brother is Si C’Etait Vrai who won his point-to-point as a four-year-old and then went on to win plenty of races on the track and finish second in a Grade 2 and also Tonnins who won six races in France. He is has been showing plenty. He should be out in the next month or so.
MIDNIGHT LEGACY
4yo b f
Getaway – Lady Of The Hall
(Saddlers’ Hall)
Denis Murphy
She is a lovely big Getaway mare that came from the Land Rover Sale and is out of a half-sister to Pairofbrowneyes. She is a lovely type that we will wait for the autumn with. She has a lot of work done so we will let her out on grass early and then look forward to getting her back into training in a couple of months.
RAREST DIAMOND
4yo b f
Milan – Lace Parasol
(Presenting)
Paul Gahan
She is a big fine mare who Paul Gahan owns. Paul used to ride a good few of our horses in point-to-points and won on the Theroadtocroker in a cross-country race at Le Lion D’Angers in France for us a couple of years ago. He had terrible trouble with his shoulder as it kept popping out which stopped him race riding but he still works here and is a good man to have. She is a big mare so it is quite possible that she is one for the autumn. She goes well but she would need a bit of a dig in the ground so we would be running out of time to run her this season.
TOWER VIEW
4yo b g
Oscar – Atomic Betty
(Anshan)
Edelle Logan
Joey bought this Oscar gelding at the Derby Sale and he is from the family of a good few blacktype winners like Foxtail Hill, Prince Of Scars and Folsom Blue. The first Oscar that I had for Joey and Edelle was Finian’s Oscar and he came out of the same sale. He is working away well at the moment and he is a nice big horse. He is a typical good looking Oscar horse in that handsome is as handsome does. I would say that he could be out within the next couple of weeks.
YOUNG LIEUTENANT
4yo b g
Robin Des Champs – Be My Gesture
(Indian Danehill)
Alan Harte
He is a nice sharp horse of Alan’s by Robin Des Champs. He is going well at the moment and I would like to think that he would be out this season. His grandam is an own-sister to Rhinestone Cowboy and he is from a good family with horses like Wichita Lineman and Cogryhill also on the page. He gallops fierce well.