Poker Face
Our gallops reporter has paid a visit to Ferdy Murphy's yard to watch several of his team.
By Gallops Reporter
Last Updated: 20/11/12 2:38pm
Our gallops reporter has paid a visit to Ferdy Murphy's yard to watch several of his team being put through their paces.
DIVERS, taken out of the Paddy Power Gold Cup owing to unsuitable ground, returned to light work on Tuesday as he galloped five and a half furlongs on the West Witton all-weather.
Ferdy Murphy withdrew his gelding from the Cheltenham highlight after walking the course and finding his stick "going in 10 inches".
A revised plan is still being formulated for Divers, amongst a large number of Murphy's string that both worked and schooled on Tuesday morning.
POKER DI SIVOLA will be a factor in long-distance handicap chases with Nationals a major part of his game plan and he engaged in identical work on the Eurotrack strip.
GOING WRONG will take in the three-mile handicap chase at Haydock on Saturday but after working him this morning the trainer is adamant he will come on a fair bit for his seasonal return.
The same remark applies to HOLLO LADIES who looked in good heart this morning but will benefit from his race on Friday.
Perhaps the best worker on the session was RIGUEZ DANCER, who Murphy describes as being "in brilliant form" ahead of his handicap chase assignment at Ascot on Friday.
CHARINGWORTH has worked and schooled nicely but Murphy is resigned to a supporting role for the gelding should he meet Arkle favourite Overturn in the two-mile conditions chase at Haydock on Friday.
Several horses took to the practice fences, among them BORDERHOPPER who jumped well ahead of the long-distance handicap chase at Huntingdon.
SAMSON COLLONGES and BRANDON THOMAS have been others to take the eye in their jumping ahead of returns to the racecourse proper at Hexham tomorrow.