OLLY Murphy is looking to get his 2023 off to the best possible start with a big day at Cheltenham tomorrow.

The Warwickshire-based trainer is having another good season, recording a 17% strike rate with his runners which has him on track to reach 80+ winners, a feat he has achieved three times already in just five seasons. That said, Murphy hasn’t had a signature race win since Brewinup’astorm took a valuable conditions hurdle at Lingfield last January.

That horse leads a quality team of five he sends to the Cotswolds today. The soon to be 10-year-old takes on a well-stacked Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle (2.30), with just 3lbs separating seven of the nine runners on ratings. Brewinup’astorm fell at the last in the race last season, when holding every chance against Stormy Ireland, and Murphy thinks he has unfinished business at the track.

Speaking to the Jockey Club on Friday, he said: “It is an extremely competitive renewal of the race especially after the abandonment of the International Hurdle at the track earlier this month.

“On his day he is very good. I felt he needed the run badly at Ascot (second to Goshen in Coral Hurdle) and I’m looking forward to running him in this. If he turns up with his A-game I think he has an each-way chance, but he is in good form.

“I feel we have a bit of unfinished business here. He has been to Cheltenham four times and finished rider-less on three of them including when falling at the last in this race 12 months ago.

“I felt on two of those occasions he would have won, while what would have happened in the Arkle I’m not sure.”

Earlier, Murphy’s Thunder Rock takes on Monmiral in the Paddy Power Novices’ Chase (1.20), previously well known as the Dipper and in recent years this has been an excellent trial for Cheltenham.

Thunder Rock won a handicap nicely at Ascot on his previous run and already holds a rating of 150.

“Thunder Rock is a lovely horse and he has taken very well to fences,” Murphy said. “He was a good hurdler last season but we thought he would improve for a fence which he has done in his two starts this season.

“This trip will suit him perfectly and he appears to be on an upward curve but we will know where we stand after this. He is a horse that we think plenty of and he already has a mark of 150.

Tramore

Elsewhere at Tramore, the Savills New Year’s Day Chase (2.15) could well throw up another creditable Gold Cup contender again as it sees the return of 2021 winner Minella Indo and last year’s National Hunt Chase winner Stattler.

Minella Indo has been widely disregarded in the betting for the Gold Cup this term. You can 40/1 about the Henry de Bromhead-trained chaser which seems a little disrespectful given he has won and finished second in the race.

Stattler looks like the type who could prosper with a stamina test and hence, is fancied by some for the Gold Cup, but he was also sharp enough to win over two miles and five furlongs for his chasing debut last season, so today’s two-mile-six-furlong trip should be fine.

Nolan hoping Machin can improve in big field Challow

IT’S refreshing to see all of 14 runners declared for the Grade 1 Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle today at Newbury (3.00) though maybe Paul Nolan and Gordon Elliott won’t feel quite as enthused, having perhaps anticipated a lighter race for their respective representatives Joyeux Machin and Kansas City Star.

The Challow Hurdle has averaged less than seven runners this millennium and you have to go back to when Reve De Sivola won the race in 2009 to find the last double-figure field. The depth to the race raises the possibility that it could produce a nice horse and there is certainly plenty of potential, with most of these coming into this contest off smooth/comfortable wins.

Joyeux Machin looks more able of the Irish pair. He was beaten in a Wexford maiden hurdle but looked a much improved proposition when winning at Fairyhouse next time and steps up to two and a half miles now.

Looking ahead to the race Nolan said: “Hopefully they won’t get as much rain as forecast – the less rain there is the better for us. We’ve committed to going now, so hopefully we can have a good run.

“He went to the line well in Fairyhouse. I think the way he went to the line over two means the step up in trip won’t be an inconvenience anyway.

“He had a hold-up before Wexford and with the ground being a little bit good, we couldn’t really get a gallop in on grass. We thought he’d improve from there to Fairyhouse and hopefully he has the potential to improve again – he’ll have to.”

For all the depth to the race, it’s likely Hermes Allen will go off a short price after an impressive display at Cheltenham. Paul Nicholls has won the last two renewals of this contest with Bravemansgame and Stage Star, while he previously scored here with Denman in 2005.