Plumpton victor Pat Murphy outlines joint licence plan

Trainer hoping to team up with assistant Joe Quinlan.

Pat Murphy has revealed he plans to hold a joint licence next year with his assistant Joe Quinlan.

The pair teamed up successfully at Plumpton on Monday to saddle Minella Hub, who landed the Global Herbs Supporting Equine Athletes Novices’ Handicap Chase in the hands of Harry Bannister.

The seven-year-old (100-30) made a perfect fencing introduction to score by nine and a half lengths, in the contest over two miles and one furlong, defying top weight in the process.

The East Garston handler said: “He is a great big, scopey horse and we schooled him over fences last week and I have had very little to do with him.

“The reason we started off over two miles was because there wasn’t a race for him until the end of February. We just wanted to get him going.

“Joe went to Ascot sales and bought him for four grand, seven weeks ago, out of Adam West’s and Joe has literally done everything with him, including getting the syndicate together who own him. He was always going to be a chaser.

“We have been having a lovely season and we hope that in the future we will have a joint licence. That will hopefully happen at the end of the year because Joe will have to do the courses and stuff.

“Joe started off with me when he was 15 and then came back to me when he was 36. He was assistant to Harry Whittington for five years and he rode as a conditional a bit for Oliver Sherwood.

“But I’m not packing up – I’m still loving every minute of it.”

Philip Hobbs trains Coolnaugh Haze
Philip Hobbs trains Coolnaugh Haze (David Davies/PA)

Coolnaugh Haze got off the mark at the second attempt in the competitive two-mile Buy The Plumpton History Book Now Maiden Hurdle in the hands of Tom O’Brien.

The Philip Hobbs-trained four-year-old had made a pleasing introduction when placed at Warwick on his hurdling debut and Tom O’Brien set a decent pace aboard the 9-4 shot, but was somewhat fortunate to be left in a long lead when favourite Dirham Emirati came down and hampered a few in behind, particularly Cuban Cigar (7-1), who stayed on nicely to finish a three-length second.

O’Brien said: “I was ideally hoping to have a lead but there was no pace on. He is a slick jumper.

“I tried to ride my race from the front and he is going the right way. He has done well. He is a nice little horse.”

Jamie Moore, who took that crashing fall aboard Dirham Emirati, eventually had something to celebrate on his 37th birthday when Hecouldbetheone (2-9 favourite) landed the Southern Events Novices’ Hurdle for his father, trainer Gary Moore.

Moore had an armchair ride aboard the five-year-old and sailed home by 12 lengths from Quickbuck, following up a good run behind smart sort Walking On Air at Newbury.

He said: “He bumped into a nice one at Newbury and I was a little bit worried about the ground drying out, but he is by Shirocco and most of them like that sort of ground.

“Two and a half miles will suit him and he might be a two-miler over fences, because he jumps very well. He has jumped good on the whole and is a nice horse for the future, but he’s beaten nothing, really.”

Nicky Henderson is in fine form and Scarpia (7-1) put a sub-par performance at Hereford behind him when taking the three-mile-and-a-furlong Betting.Bet Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle under a positive ride from 6lb claimer Nathan Brennan.

The eight-year-old appreciated the tight track and was not for catching in the home straight, where both hurdles were omitted because of the low sun.

After the 11-length success from Sirobbie (16-1), Brennan said: “I can’t believe how well I was going when we went past what should have been the second-last.

Scarpia (left) at Fontwell last year
Scarpia (left) at Fontwell last year (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

“I thought he was doing too much, but I was able to fill him up coming down the hill and turning for home he has quickened up again. He has jumped and travelled and done everything right. The sharp three miles around here has probably helped him.”

First-time blinkers helped Putdecashonthedash (15-2), who gained a first success of the season in the Follow Plumpton on Instagram Handicap Chase.

Winning trainer Keiran Burke said: “We were a bit worried about the ground and he has had a few little problems with kissing spines and things like that, but when they are ready, you have to run them. He has had a hard old paper round.

“Every time we have changed the headgear, he has won. He did that last year when we put cheekpieces on him. He is not ungenuine, it just helps him concentrate.”

Global Wonder sent favourite-backers home happy as the well-backed 9-4 chance drew steadily clear of the staying-on Honestlyntrufully to land the two-mile Strong Flavours Catering Handicap Hurdle under Nick Scholfield.

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