Mixed fortunes for Murphy

After his usual steady start to the season Ferdy Murphy is now beginning to hit form and there was plenty to like about the performance of Elzahann in the Streetlam Mares’ “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle at Catterick.

The six-year-old was a winner of a bumper at this North Yorkshire venue back in March when in the care of Murphy’s son Paul, but showed little on her first start for Murphy senior at Kelso last month.

It was clear better was expected of her on this quicker surface as she was backed into 7-2 from 11-2 before the off and after travelling well into the race down the back straight, she was pushed out by Graham Lee to score by five lengths from Naturally Inspired.

Murphy has now saddled four winners in a week and feels this mare could turn out to be above average.

“She has done it very nicely and she is a mare with a great pedigree, she is actually closely related to Breedsbreeze,” said Murphy.

“I told the owner to have a few quid each-way on her as she had been working well at home.

“We ran her at Kelso the last day on softish ground and by the way she was working we thought it would suit but my son Paul told me she wouldn’t go on it and he was right.

“The ground was much better here and she’s handled it well. She’s going to improve again for this and Graham thinks a step up in trip would help her.”

The stewards, however, held an inquiry into the running and riding of her stablemate Mansonn Leda, who finished fifth. Both Murphy and jockey Ewan Whillans were subsequently referred to the British Horseracing Authority under Rule 157, the so-called ’non-triers’ rule.

Howard Johnson has his team in equally good form and there was plenty to like about the performance of Nine Stories in the Catterickbridge.co.uk Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.

Sent off a red-hot 1-5 favourite having finished fourth in a much hotter event at Cheltenham last time, Denis O’Regan eased him to the front two flights from home before going on to score by 14 lengths from Victorias.

Stagecoach Pearl produced a very taking performance when making most of the running under Tjade Collier in the concluding Go Racing At Wetherby Saturday Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race.

The 8-1 chance was sent straight to the head of affairs in the two-mile contest and after kicking clear in the straight, the grey was a comfortable four and a half lengths clear at the line.