Murphy likely to stick to hurdles with Newmill

LAST season’s Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Newmill is likely to be seen in action in the bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Trainer John Murphy is presently favouring a tilt at that Grade One event, run on December 29, rather than the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase two days earlier on account of the likely soft going.

Newmill trailed home last of four behind Iktitaf on his seasonal reappearance last time, having failed to act in the conditions.