Top trainer Olly Murphy is preparing a small but select team for the season-opening Chepstow’s Jumps and has a chance to lead in Sunday’s Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las, all live on Sky Sports Racing.
Resplendent gray faces eight rivals in Friday’s sophomore event, the Unibet’s Persian War Novices’ Hurdleas Murphy seeks to collect a nice cash reward from his exciting five-year-old.
Sean Bowen is booked to ride, having been on board for each of his two hurdle victories so far, both towards the end of last season.
“He’s a horse with a lot of ability and he’s been given a rating 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 it’s good prize money and he’s only a novice until the end of November.
“He’s going to have to move up to handicap as soon as possible so we’ll give him a bit of experience and if he runs well we might look at something at Cheltenham in November and then decide whether we’re going to go there and jump a fence this season or not.
“If he relaxes at the start of the race, then the change to two and a half miles will suit him very well.
“I don’t see any reason why he doesn’t have a really good chance either way.”
Murphy and his connections would be delighted if Resplendent Gray could pursue a career like his old favorite Thomas Darbywhich makes its seasonal reappearance in the Unibet Veteran Handicap Hunt Friday.
Now aged 10, he first scored over hurdles 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 difficult horse to place now, but he’s in very good form and has been a star for me,” Murphy said. “We got over the hurdles last season and he won well at Ayr and didn’t disgrace himself in a first year at Aintree.
“He has the higher weight, but we hope he has a chance either way if he gets into the rhythm.
“He’s not getting any younger but going back down to class is worth it, now he’s a veteran.”
On Saturday, Murphy will count on Benassi in the Wasdell Group Handicap Silver Trophy.
The six-year-old received a 9lb increase 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 big raise for that, but he had a nice break,” Murphy said. “I have been waiting for this boy to speed up his journey and I think you will see a huge improvement because of this.
“It dips our toes in deeper waters, but he always pleased me with what he did at home.”
Further west at Ffos Las on Sunday, Murphy sends Strong leader At DragonBet Welsh Champion Hurdle as higher weight.
Winner of his first three trials over hurdles, Strong Leader ran an admirable race in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, finishing ninth, before running Inthepocket from close range in the Grade One Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.
“He’s come on in leaps and bounds since his outstanding win at Warwick just last May,” Murphy said. “I managed to give him a gallop on the racetrack which should be very useful to him on Sunday.
“He has reached a very high level, but achieving his first handicap at maximum weight will not be an easy task. A large, flat, galloping track should suit him well.
“I really hope this boy can be a good quality horse over hurdles and has the potential to progress over time.”
Watch every race from the season opener Chepstow’s Jumps (Friday October 13-14) and the Welsh Champion Hurdle Day at Ffos Las (Sunday October 15), all live on Sky Sports Racing.