Murphy sweating on Pertemps spot for former Champion Bumper star

Colm Murphy is hoping former Champion Bumper heroine Relegate can sneak in at the foot of the Pertemps Final weights, which are released on Wednesday, to provide him with a dream return to the training ranks.

The four-time Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer had his first runner for just over 1,000 days in July last year, having quit training in October 2016 due to financial reasons.

Murphy, who prepared Brave Inca and Big Zeb for a combined total of 16 Grade 1 victories, worked as a stewards’ secretary with the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board in the interim but had still been running a breeding and pre-training operation from his base near Gorey, County Wexford.

Relegate, who won the 2018 Champion Bumper for Willie Mullins, had just three starts over hurdles for the champion trainer before switching to Murphy and she finished off strongly into fourth on her stable debut in last week's Pertemps qualifier at Punchestown.

Relegate managed to gun down former stablemate Carefully Selected in the 2018 Weatherbys Champion BumperCredit: Patrick McCann

She has been raised 2lb to a mark of 132 for her eyecatching return from a 382-day break, but the bottom weight in the last three runnings of the Pertemps Final has been rated 134 (2019), 135 (2018) and 137 (2017).

Watch Relegate win the 2018 Champion Bumper

Relegate could need the British handicapper to provide some additional pounds at Wednesday's weights reveal to secure her place in the handicap, for which she is priced between 10-1 and 16-1.

"We were thrilled to bits with her at Punchestown," said Murphy, who is seeking his first winner under rules since returning to training.

"It was nice to get her back and running well after being off the track for a while. We'll be waiting to see how she gets on with the weights, that'll decide it all but we'll be happy to let her take her chance.

Colm Murphy returned to training with his first runner Glendruid at Cork last JulyCredit: Patrick McCann

"She looks to have the right credentials and we know she handles the course."

Murphy says he is enjoying being back in the training game and is relishing the chance to return to Cheltenham with the seven-year-old mare.

He said: "It would be nice to get there with a live chance, all being well. It's good to be back training after trying something completely different.

"We have plenty of young horses in the yard, with a selling aspect to the business."

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