Olly Murphy Stable Visit
	Wednesday 24th February 2021

Trainer Olly Murphy has revealed that Thomas Darby is being aimed at the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle, one of the nine handicaps at The Festival™ supporting WellChild.

🗣️ "It was a good performance first time in a handicap off 151 - to do that on heavy ground around Ascot was no mean feat."@O_J_murphy91's decision to send Thomas Darby back over hurdles was rewarded with a tenacious success off top-weight at @Ascot under @dickyjohnson77

— Timeform (@Timeform) January 18, 2020

Thomas Darby went close to Festival glory in 2019 when runner-up in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and after reverting to hurdling landed the Grade Three Holloway’s Hurdle at Ascot in January 2020 under top-weight. The eight year old posted a good effort on his most recent start when third in the rearranged Grade Two Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle at Kempton Park on January 9th.

Worcestershire-based Murphy, who is still seeking a first Festival winner, said: “The plan is to go for the Coral Cup with Thomas Darby unless the Stayers’ Hurdle really cuts up and a few things happen. He is in good order but we decided to bypass the Rendlesham at Haydock at the weekend. A strongly run 2m 5f will really suit him and that’s where he will go. He would be one of my main ones for the meeting. 

“His owner, Grahame Whateley, is quite keen to run him in the Coral Cup as he has won the race before (with Diamond King, 2016). We were going to wait for Aintree but we’ve not got many horses for Cheltenham as we have a lot of young horses so we have decided to take Thomas Darby.

“He ran a good race stepped up to three miles in the Cleeve behind McFabulous and though this is slightly down in trip it should be fine for him as it will be run at a good pace.”

Murphy went on to run through his other candidates for the handicaps at The Festival™ supporting WellChild.

Hunters Call (Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle/Coral Cup)

“He is in good form and he has the three entries in the Martin Pipe and Coral Cup, though I’m not sure he really stays two and a half as he seems to come there well and doesn’t seem to get home. He has had plenty of problems in the past but it has been great to get a clear run with him this season. He has been unlucky not to win a big one as he has run well in a Galway Hurdle, Greatwood and Lanzarote. He deserves to get a race like that.”

Enemy Coast Ahead (McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle/Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle/Coral Cup)

“Enemy Coast Ahead has been given a winter break. He has won all three of his novice hurdles since joining us though I think his best effort was when we stepped him up to two and a half miles last time at Uttoxeter. He has multiple entries and if he gets in I would say we would either look at the Martin Pipe or Coral Cup. He is a horse that has to have nice ground.”

Strong Glance (McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle)

“He is a very fast horse and if we run him it will be in the County Hurdle, but I doubt he will get in off 131 so we might have to look at Aintree and that might be more his target.

“He gave himself a terrible fright over fences at Ludlow and we have given him a couple of confidence boosters in these jumpers’ bumper races. He will run well wherever he goes in the spring over a fast run two miles.”

Tinnahalla (Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle)

“I’m not sure whether we will go for the Fred Winter (Boodles) or not. He got a terrible hike in the weights for winning at Catterick. The form of that race was franked by the runner-up winning at Market Rasen on Sunday, but I don’t know whether a massive field will suit him. He has got the entry though and we will wait until nearer the time to decide if he goes.”

Duca De Thaix (Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase)

“Duca De Thaix runs at Chepstow on Thursday and he would have to run well to warrant going for the Grand Annual. If he runs well there we might look at it as he would get in off his rating. We’ve had him 10 weeks and he has done everything nicely and he has got some good Irish form but we need to rejuvenate him for him to head to the Grand Annual.”

The Butcher Said and The Wolf (Ultima Handicap Chase)

“The Butcher Said has threatened to win a nice handicap all year. He is in good form and he could run well at a big price in a race that is sponsored by his owner. The Wolf started off the season well but has had a few disappointing runs. I’m not sure whether he would run or not though he has plenty of ability. Going forward we might fit him with some headgear to try and get him back on track.”