Trainer Focus: Olly Murphy: Winners in Waiting at Warren Chase Stables

Having stopped off at the yard of Gordon Elliott, our next stable tour takes us to the yard of a man who previously served as an assistant to the Irish powerhouse. Whilst yet to hit the heights of his former boss, Olly Murphy has made an impressive start since setting out on his own in 2017.

2023/24 marked a new high point for the Warren Chase Stables operation as Murphy breached the 100-winner mark for the first time. The clear highlight of that century was the victory of Strong Leader in the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at the Grand National meeting – a second top-level success for the yard.

Heading into the new season riding a wave of positive momentum, it would be no surprise to see Murphy post a new career best in 2024/25. Here, we pick out the star performers and a selection of interesting runners to follow through the winter and beyond.

Stable Stars

Strong Leader

Joining Itchy Feet in the Murphy Grade 1 winner club with that impressive performance on Merseyside, Strong Leader is the clear standout performer at Wilmcote. Still only seven years of age, the son of Passing Glance looks set to tackle the headline staying hurdles, with the Long Walk Hurdle his key early season target. Given his preference for flat courses, he may give Cheltenham a miss, with all roads leading to Aintree and the defence of his Liverpool Hurdle crown.

Thunder Rock

Three outings in Grade 1 company suggest this eight-year-old is just shy of top class. However, as a dual Listed winner and a runner-up in a Grade 2 Novice Chase, he should be very competitive on the next rung down the ladder. With all of his outings in open Graded events coming over fences, it would be interesting to see him given a second chance over the smaller obstacles, where his record stands at four wins from six starts.

Brewin’upastorm

Now eleven years old, this likeable son of Milan has served the yard with aplomb since his 2018 debut. His days of lining up in Grade 1 company may be behind him, but he showed that there’s life in the old dog yet when claiming the Grade 2 Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle at Fairyhouse on his penultimate start last term. Suffering a small setback in the summer, he won't be seen until after Christmas, but don’t be surprised to see him give his younger rivals something to think about in the spring.

Itchy Feet

An excellent third in the 2019 edition of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Itchy Feet is another to have served the yard with distinction. Winless in 13 starts since his Grade 1 victory in the 2020 Scilly Isles Novices’s Chase, he seems to be happier over hurdles these days and has hit the mark in each of the last two seasons. A real favourite of the yard, Murphy will likely find a suitable race for him again in 2024/25.

Nine For The Tracker

With the best years of Brewin’upastorm and Itchy Feet now behind them, Murphy could do with a new star emerging. Happily, he has several promising sorts coming through the ranks – several of whom have made it onto our tracker for the season ahead.

• Butch – Going in the McNeill Family silks, this son of Kayf Tara looks one of the most likely to make the breakthrough at Graded level. Ending his debut 2022/23 campaign with a rating of 124, three wins from his first three outings last term saw him shoot up to 141. That prompted an outing in the Grade 2 Rendelsham Hurdle at Haydock, where he underwhelmed slightly in second place. However, he wouldn’t be the first horse to struggle in the bog-like conditions of the Merseyside venue, and he may well bounce back.
• Castle Ivers – This Bective Stud runner showed bags of promise in Bumpers last term, picking up wins at Southwell and Wetherby before running as though there was something amiss in the Grade 2 at the Grand National meeting. Setting out over hurdles this term, it would be no surprise to see him resume his progress.
• Go Dante – If there is one horse who deserves a smooth season, it is surely this eight-year-old Kayf Tara gelding. Bouncing back from a broken pelvis and damaged lung, he showed what he could do when landing the Imperial Cup at Sandown last term before finishing fifth in the Alder Hey Handicap Hurdle at Aintree – a fine effort considering he gave the field a 15l head start. The Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham looks like an obvious early-season target following his recent comeback at Ffos Las.
• Little Miss Dante – A full sister to Go Dante, this six-year-old mare looks potentially well handicapped off a mark of 120. An easy winner of two Novice Hurdle events and third in Listed company at Haydock, she lost the plot in the spring, but a recent wind operation suggests she may have had her issues. Having finished a promising third on her seasonal return at Bangor, she may soon re-enter the Winner’s Enclosure.
• No Risk Des Flos – This nine-year-old has been around for a few seasons but looks dangerously well handicapped on his peak form – a mark of 127 is 10lb higher than that with which he began the 2023/24 campaign. He finished a well-beaten second on his comeback at Stratford, but the ground was quicker than ideal that day, and he kept at it well in the straight. One to look out for on his favoured soft ground.
• Resplendent Grey – Following three wins from four starts in his Novice campaign, this son of Walk In The Park initially found life tough in open company. However, he slowly but surely got to grips with what was required and ended his season with a 6½l stroll at Uttoxeter. Expected to improve for the outing on chase debut at that same track in October, he posted a hugely encouraging display. Last, on the turn for home, he picked them all up in the straight to score with ease. That came over 2m4f, and there may be more to come when he moves up in trip. He joins Butch as a likely sort to make the step into Graded company this term.
• Ukantango – Rated 124 over hurdles but only 118 over fences, this seven-year-old looks potentially well handicapped over fences. He’s zero from five in his Chase career but has jumped well in the main, and that form is partly attributable to physical issues in the second half of last season. Set for a late-season campaign, he could be worth supporting whilst rated 124 and below.
• Wade Out – Having comfortably landed his Point to Point and Bumper, this five-year-old kept the good times going with an easy victory on his hurdles debut at Uttoxeter. Nicely bred – by Shantou out of a Milan mare – and owned by Sir Alex Ferguson and co. he falls into the “could be anything category” at this stage of his career.
• Woodland Park – The second Walk In The Park gelding on our list caught the eye with an emphatic Bumper victory at Market Rasen on his final start last term. Showing a nice attitude when second on his hurdling bow at Carlisle, he should strip fitter for that outing and break his hurdles duck sooner rather than later.

Paul Harrison

Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.