Olly Murphy rules Copperless out of Galway Hurdle

Swinton Hurdle winner was a big fancy.

Copperless has been ruled out of the Guinness Galway Hurdle at Ballybrit next Thursday.

Trainer Olly Murphy has scratched the Swinton Hurdle winner from the valuable prize as he was not entirely happy with the six-year-old.

Murphy will now look nearer home for him to make his seasonal reappearance in the autumn, with the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in November a probable target.

“He doesn’t run in Galway, he was scratched today,” said the Stratford handler.

“He’s absolutely fine. I just wasn’t 100 per cent happy with him. Going over there you have to be on your A game.

“We’ll look back at the English programme now and look for a nice race in the autumn. The Greatwood could be very likely.

“He was a very impressive horse when he won his last start and I just want to run him in the right race. Unfortunately, Galway isn’t going to be the right race just the way he is at the moment.”

Copperless had been as low as 10-1 second-favourite with some firms for the Galway showpiece.

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