Aintree on the agenda again for Strong Leader
Murphy: ‘The one day it all clicks for him, then he could win a big one.’
Strong Leader is set to continue plying his trade in the staying hurdle division, having been handed a Liverpool Hurdle objective by trainer Olly Murphy. The seven-year-old has shown smart form at Aintree in the past, winning a novice hurdle by eight lengths last term before ending the campaign by finishing a close-up second to Inthepocket over an extended two miles in the Grade One Top Novices’ Hurdle. Since being well beaten over the minimum trip on his return to action, Strong Leader has gone up in distance, first running well in the Ascot Hurdle before excelling in his first try at three miles on Cheltenham Trials day in the Cleeve Hurdle.What a race this was!
🤩 The big-name competitors💪 The Noble Yeats grit♥ 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 Paisley Park heart pic.twitter.com/RQAziqrjIB — ITV Racing (@itvracing) January 27, 2024
On that occasion, only Stayers’ Hurdle-bound Noble Yeats and Paisley Park finished ahead of Strong Leader. And with Murphy’s charge holding no graded entries for the Cheltenham Festival, he is set to bypass Prestbury Park in favour of another trip to Merseyside for their Grand National day Grade One. “He’s going straight to Aintree for the three-mile race,” said Murphy.
Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.
Latest
-
Turner follows up landmark success with Mount Atlas triumph
Trailblazing jockey wastes no time in adding to Thursday night’s 1,000th British winner.
-
Shepherd looking to guide King’s Gambit to York Stakes glory
In-form jockey eyeing another big-race success on progressive colt.
-
Auguste Rodin now ready to exorcise King George demons
Aidan O’Brien: ‘Last year, it was soft ground and we probably held him up too much.’
-
Live In The Dream given Goodwood Hart transplant
Adam West has opted for a change of jockey on his star sprinter.
-
Ed Crisford plans Deauville return for star sprinter Vandeek
He has finished third on both starts this season after an unbeaten juvenile campaign.
-
Chancellor looking to profit in Pat Eddery Stakes
The John and Thady Gosden colt impressed when winning on debut at Doncaster.
-
Boughey backing Soprano to be on song in Valiant Stakes
‘I couldn’t be much happier with how she has trained heading into this race.’
-
Opera Singer and Emily Upjohn on course for Nassau clash
Inspiral also among 12 Goodwood confirmations but she may be rerouted to France.
-
Sangster hopes Simmering can heat up once again at Ascot
Promising filly bids to open her account in the Princess Margaret Stakes.