Extended break: Colm Murphy hoping to get back in winning groove at Bellewstown

Just over 1,000 days since saddling what was thought to be his final runner, Colm Murphy is hoping to mark his return to training in the best possible way this Saturday at Bellewstown.

Glendruid, entered in the concluding bumper on the final day of the festival, will attempt to get off the mark at the first time of asking, although the man who prepared Brave Inca and Big Zeb for Cheltenham Festival glory has warned he will monitor the going before a final decision is made.

The 20-time Grade 1-winning trainer has been working as a stewards’ secretary, while also running a breeding and pre-training operation from his base in Gorey in County Wexford.

He said of what could be his first starter since October 2016: "I'm not sure if Glendruid will run due to the ground but he's intended to be my first runner back. There's a bit of excitement around the place to have runners again and hopefully he'll run well."

The Beneficial five-year-old runs in the colours of Paul McKeon, owner of Champion Bumper heroine Relegate and a significant part of Murphy's stable.

Last year's Champion Bumper winner Relegate is owned by Paul McKeon (left) who is also responsible for GlendruidCredit: Patrick McCann

"Paul is a big cog in our operation here and has a lot of horses with us," Murphy explained. "We have plenty of horses like Glendruid – he's for sale as well and that's always in the back of our minds."

Murphy added: "Hopefully, we'll have plenty of outside owners join us too, it's a case of getting the wheels rolling again. It's going to take a little bit of time but we think there's a nice bunch of horses here, so fingers crossed they stay well and sound. There'll be plenty of bumper horses for a while and we'll be short on older horses for the moment."

Murphy, who was active in the sales ring at last week's Tattersalls Derby Sale, added: "It'll be mainly jumpers but we have a lot of youngsters here as well – you're just hoping for a diamond among them."

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