Murphy looks to Punchestown

Colm Murphy is readying Megans Joy and Big Zeb for appearances at the Punchestown Festival later in the month.

County Wexford-based Murphy placed the former to win five times on the spin earlier in the season before her run came to an end in Grade One company in December.

Megans Joy has been off the track since, but Murphy is hoping an intended outing on the level will put her right ahead of a potential crack at the vcbet.com Champion Novice Hurdle.

Murphy said: “With a bit of luck we’re hoping the two of them will go to Punchestown.

“Megans Joy is back now – I had been hoping I’d have her back earlier really but she’s only really just coming to herself.

“This bit of sun on her back has helped and I couldn’t be happier with her at the moment.

“I’d hope there’s more to come. She seems stronger than she was earlier in the season and she knows what it’s all about now.

“I have her in at Dundalk next week and hopefully she’ll get in there. If she does we’ll let her take her chance and hopefully go on to Punchestown.”

Big Zeb has twice gone close at the highest level since the turn of the year, chasing home J’y Vole and Conna Castle on his last two outings.

He also beat all bar Sizing Europe when making an appearance at Punchestown 12 months ago.

Connections will bide their time before deciding which race to target the seven-year-old at, with ground conditions sure to have a major say.

“Big Zeb has been a bit unfortunate the last twice but we have several options for him at Punchestown,” said Murphy.

“I’m not sure which race we’ll run in but the ground will probably decide it for us.

“I’d imagine the better the ground is, the further we’d go but we’ll keep the options open.”