Resplendent Grey expected to have an 'each-way chance' in Friday's Unibet Persian War Novices' Hurdle at Chepstow; Thomas Darby returns in a Veterans' Chase, while Strong Leader heads to Ffos Las for Welsh Champion Hurdle on Sunday
Wednesday 11 October 2023 13:52, UK
Top trainer Olly Murphy is preparing a small but select squad for Chepstow’s Jumps Season Opener and has a leading chance in Sunday’s Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las, all live on Sky Sports Racing.
Resplendent Grey takes on eight rivals in Friday's Grade Two feature, the Unibet Persian War Novices' Hurdle, as Murphy seeks to pick up some nice prize money from his exciting five-year-old.
Sean Bowen is booked to ride, having been aboard for each of his two victories over hurdles so far, both coming towards the end of last season.
"He's a horse with a lot of ability and has been given a mark of 120 but I'd like to think he's a lot better than that," Murphy told Sky Sports Racing. "Ideally we'd be better off running in a handicap but this is good prize money and he's only a novice until the end of November.
"He's going to have to go handicapping sooner rather than later so we'll get a nice bit of experience into him and if he happens to run well we might look at something at Cheltenham in November and then decide if we're going to go and jump a fence this season or not.
"If he relaxes in the early part of the race then the step up to two-and-a-half miles is going to suit him really well.
"I don't see any reason why he hasn't got a really nice each-way chance."
Murphy and connections would be delighted if Resplendent Grey can go on to have a career like old favourite Thomas Darby, who makes his seasonal reappearance in the Unibet Veterans' Handicap Chase on Friday.
Now a 10-year-old, he scored for the first time over fences in February this year before finding the Grade One Mildmay Novices' Chase far too hot to handle at Aintree last time.
"He's an extremely hard horse to place now but is in very good form and has been a star for me," Murphy said. "We went back over fences last season and he won well at Ayr and didn't disgrace himself in a Grade One at Aintree.
"He's got top weight but we're hoping he'll have an each-way chance if he gets into a rhythm.
"He's not getting any younger but coming back down in grade is worth a go, now he's a veteran."
On Saturday, Murphy will be relying on Benassi in the Wasdell Group Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle.
The six-year-old has been handed a 9lb rise for an impressive victory at Ffos Las in April, which took him to two wins from four starts under rules.
"He ran really well at Ffos Las and got a hefty rise for that but has had a nice break," Murphy said. "I've been waiting to step this lad up in trip and I think you'll see an awful lot of improvement for that.
"This is dipping our toes in deeper water but he's always pleased me with what he's done at home."
Further west at Ffos Las on Sunday, Murphy sends Strong Leader to the DragonBet Welsh Champion Hurdle as top weight.
A winner of his first three tries over hurdles, Strong Leader ran an admirable race in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, to be ninth, before running Inthepocket close in the Grade One Top Novices' Hurdle at Aintree.
"He's come forward leaps and bounds from winning a bumper at Warwick only last May," Murphy said. "I've managed to get him a racecourse gallop which should stand him in good stead on Sunday.
"He's run to a really high level but having his first handicap run off top weight will be no easy task. A big, flat and galloping track should suit him well.
"I really hope this lad can be a proper graded horse over hurdles and there's the potential of going up in trip in time."
Watch every race from Chepstow's Jumps Season Opener (Friday, October 13-14) and Welsh Champion Hurdle day at Ffos Las (Sunday, October 15) all live on Sky Sports Racing.
