Ferdy Murphy’s Cheltenham Tips: Hard work set to pay dividends for Sam in the Long Run

IT takes a special horse to win back-to-back Gold Cups. Only Best Mate has done so since Arkle, still the best racehorse I’ve ever seen. That’s how difficult it is.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Mar 2012, 08:31 BST

However, I expect Long Run will join this very exclusive club today. I know Kauto Star is the sentimental favourite, and rightly so, after his past wins in 2007 and two years later, but I just think that Cheltenham hill will find the 12-year-old out.

Look back at last year’s race. Turning for home, you had Kauto Star and that other war horse, Denman, going best of all – and Sam Waley-Cohen looked beat on Long Run.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Yet, when the former champions began to tire, Long Run kept going – and that’s what you need to get home up the Cheltenham hill.

I know Kauto Star has beaten him in the Betfair and King George this season, but they were on flatter tracks at Haydock and Kempton.

The undulations will suit Long Run, who won his prep race at Newbury nicely, giving lumps of weight away to Burton Port, and I thought he jumped better for Sam – the schooling sessions with Yogi Breisner have worked.

Two other factors influence my decision. Nicky Henderson’s horses have been flying all week and Sam is a very under-rated jockey. He may be an amateur, but his dad Robert owns the horse and I know he’s put in a hell of a lot of work to ensure he does Long Run justice.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

My outsider is Neil Mulholland’s Midnight Chase. Neil used to ride for me and this horse just loves Cheltenham.

In the opener, Grumeti should win the Triumph for Alan King. He’s got to get a winner and the horse was very impressive at Kempton. They rate him very highly indeed and he could be a future champion.

The Vincent O’Brien is wide open, but Gay Smith – whose husband is part of the Coolmore operation in Ireland – has just bought Ubi Ace out of Tim Walford’s yard at Malton and sent him to Jonjo O’Neill’s yard. They won’t have done so just to enjoy a day out.

The Albert Bartlett is more straightforward, Boston Bob all the way. Willie Mullins trains him, he won his last race well, and a lot of the lads from his yard have had a good few pounds on him.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After the Gold Cup, I’d love to see Barbers Shop win the Foxhunters. He’s trained by Henderson but that’s almost immaterial – he’s owned by the Queen, it’s her Diamond Jubilee year, and she’s a fantastic supporter of racing. What better jubilee present could there be than a first Festival win? As for the form, this was a horse who was seventh in Kauto’s second Gold Cup. He can jump and the race should suit.

Donald McCain’s had a great week and I hope Bourne can win the Martin Pipe for Middleham conditional Henry Brooke.

The week ends with the Grand Annual and I couldn’t be happier with De Boitron. He has a nice mark and Lucy Alexander takes five pounds off her back. He was fourth last year, but I hope the ground doesn’t dry out too much.

Ferdy’s horses to follow...

1.30 Grumeti (Jockey Robert Thornton)

2.05 Ubi Ace (Richie McLernon)

2.40 Boston Bob (Ruby Walsh)

3.20 Long Run (Sam Waley-Cohen)

4.00 Barbers Shop (Mr N De Boinville)

4.40 Bourne (Henry Brooke)

5.15 De Boitron (Lucy Alexander)