Olly Murphy is looking forward to starting the next chapter of his career today when he sends out his first two runners as a trainer.

The 25-year-old, who spent fours years as assistant to Gordon Elliott, will saddle Dove Mountain in the Licensed Trade Auditors licensed-trade.co.uk Handicap at Brighton and Varene De Vauzelle in the Wheaton Lamb & Burrows Handicap Hurdle at Stratford.

Murphy said: "I am a bit apprehensive, but if you aren't a little bit nervous, you're probably in the wrong game. I am more excited and looking forward to it though.

"It is a work in progress, but hopefully the start of a long and very successful career. I have been working towards this for the past 12 months.

"It is exciting to have runners as a lot of hard work has been put in by a lot of people.

"Both the horses are in good form and they are both running in the right grade. They have different headgear on to what they have been wearing and they would have each-way chances.

"This is a new chapter for me and I am aware that Rome was not built in a day. If the horses win it will be great, but they will definitely come on for the run."

Although the Wilmcote handler, who is the son of bloodstock agent Aiden and dual-purpose trainer Anabel Murphy, hopes to have runners against Elliott once he is more established, he has nothing but praise for the time spent with his old boss.

"I had probably the best four years of my life with Gordon," said Murphy.

"I learnt more there in the last four years than I have learnt anywhere else, but it was time to come away from beneath his wing.

"I am lucky enough to have a lovely place to come back to and I have modelled everything like it was at Gordon's, from the gallops to the feed and bedding. I have tried to keep everything as straightforward as possible."

With a team of around 15 horses to go to war with, the avid Aston Villa fan is keeping his feet on the ground as regards to targets this early on in his career, with just one simple aim he hopes to achieve sooner rather than later.

"I think you always set yourself up to be shot at if you give out aims. Hopefully I can get the monkey of training my first winner off my back at some stage," said Murphy.

COMPETITIVE

"I am a very competitive person and I hate losing and coming second. I have got a team of about 15 in at the moment and have nice ones arriving in the coming weeks.

"I have had a lot of support since I have come back, which is fantastic, and my dad and Ryan Mahon have helped source the horses while I have employed the lads I wanted.

"We haven't got the ammunition to run 30 horses in a month. I will just go about with a softly-softly approach and keep my head down and work hard. "