BROWN ADVISORY AND

MERRIEBELLE STABLE

PLATE (GRADE 3)

BY his own admission Colm Murphy has endured a couple of lean seasons but a heartening few months for the trainer got even better when Empire Of Dirt got Bryan Cooper and Gigginstown House Stud off the mark in the Brown Advisory and Merriebelle Stable Plate.

There was a time when jumping frailties were threatening to curb this gelding’s promise, but two months after landing the Leopardstown Chase he produced an even better display. In addition this victory came in a race in which Irish-trained horses have the worst record of any race at Cheltenham. Indeed it was all the way back in 1982 when the Andy Geraghty-trained and Frank Berry-ridden Doubleuagain last brought this prize back across the Irish Sea.

As he looked to defy a career high rating of 142, Empire Of Dirt put together a fine round of jumping and from over half a mile out he was catching the eye with how he was travelling.

The former Derby Sale topper wasn’t all that fluent when he improved to lead at the second last but he raised his effort to shake off Kings Palace coming away from the final fence and he went to the line well to defeat the 33/1 chance Tango De Juilley by four lengths.

“We’ve had a few lean years and we just haven’t had the quality in the yard but it’s been great to get some quality back. The fact we’ve been here before and then had a lean time of things means that we’ll really appreciate this,” stated Murphy, who was sending out his fourth winner here.

“This horse has been on the ground a few times but Bryan gave him a very good ride and he’s now starting to settle very well. He’s learning, he’s improving and hopefully he’s going to keep improving. It’s an amazing feeling to be back here.”

After a somewhat frustrating couple of days Bryan Cooper was pleased to get amongst the winners: “A lot of the horses have run as well as they could and there are some lovely horses for the future, they’ve just come up against some really good ones. I’d a lot of good rides coming into the week so it’s a relief to get one on the board.”