Murphy weighs up options
The eight-year-old, winner of Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle in March, finished an eight-and-a-quarter-length third behind Iktitaf in the Morgiana Hurdle on his autumnal bow.
“He’s come out of it extremely well. He’s in the field at the moment and I couldn’t be happier with him,” said Murphy.
“He needed a run big time, especially on that ground, and the conditions just found out his fitness.
“He wasn’t beaten far by Iktitaf so I think he’s run a cracker.”
Murphy is now targeting either the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on December 3 or a return trip to Cheltenham on December 9.
He said: “I’m not sure where we will go now. He’ll be entered for the Hatton’s Grace and the Bula (Boylesport International Hurdle) and he could go for either of those.”
Murphy also issued an upbeat bulletin on fellow Champion Hurdle hope Feathard Lady.
The six-year-old is unbeaten in seven career starts but has been sidelined since winning the Christmas Hurdle at Sandown last December.
Feathard Lady strained a hind fetlock joint in January ruling her out of Cheltenham and then suffered a further setback when sustaining a ligament injury in September.
“She’s back walking and we hope to have her cantering before Christmas – it’s looking good,” Murphy added.
“We hope to run her in early February en route to Cheltenham.”
Meanwhile, Detroit City’s owner Terry Warner claims he is “not worried” by the threat of reigning champion hurdler Brave Inca.
The Philip Hobbs-trained four-year-old is as low as 3-1 favourite for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March following an impressive win in the Greatwood Hurdle last time.
Warner believes Detroit City has little to fear should the trio clash in next month’s Boylesports.com International Hurdle.
He said: “It was interesting watching the opposition in the Morgiana Hurdle in Ireland on Sunday. I wouldn’t be worried about Brave Inca now – he has to improve an awful lot on that run.
“Iktitaf is a nice horse who has done everything they’ve asked. He won the Irish Cesarewitch on the Flat, but Detroit City carried the equivalent of a stone more in the English Cesarewitch, so I’m getting more confident by the minute.
“He didn’t beat so much in the Greatwood Hurdle – I don’t get too carried away – but he did it very well, and although it wasn’t a fast time, it was the fastest time of the day.
“I’m growing more confident with him because he’s a stronger horse than last season.
“We’re very pleased with the horse and we’re quite hopeful now.
“It would be nice to follow up in the Champion Hurdle. The only thing against him is the stats. He’ll only be five and the last five-year-old to win it was See You Then in 1985.”
Warner added: “Everyone keeps telling me he wants further but he broke the track record in the JCB Triumph Hurdle and the trainer and jockey (Richard Johnson) seem to be coming round to my way of thinking now.
