Olly Murphy tasks Brewin'upastorm with giving him 'unbelievable' first Irish win on Fairyhouse debut

Olly Murphy will break new ground in his training career when he saddles his first runner at Fairyhouse with popular veteran Brewin'upastorm on Irish Grand National day.

The Grade 1-winning handler will bid for his first Irish success with the 11-year-old, who is set to run in the Grade 2 Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle (3.50) on Easter Monday. He is among nine entries that also include Grade 1 winners Sir Gerhard and Asterion Forlonge as well as Champion Hurdle fourth Zarak The Brave for Willie Mullins.

Brewin'upastorm showed age has not caught up with him yet when second in a valuable handicap hurdle at Kelso this month and Murphy is excited to take him to Ireland on a new adventure.

He said: "Brewin'upastorm's in good form and is set to go over. There's very few options over that trip for horses like him at this time in Britain unless you go to Aintree, which we've done on a few occasions and hasn't worked.

"We're trying something different with him and it'll be a fun day out. We know it'll be a tough race but we're looking forward to running him and if he turns up in the form he did at Kelso last time then he's got a chance."

Murphy has saddled a second at Punchestown among three previous runners in Ireland, but breaking his Irish duck would have extra emotion for the trainer. He was previously assistant trainer to Gordon Elliott before branching out on his own in 2017.

Olly Murphy: "We're trying something different with him and it'll be a fun day out"Credit: Edward Whitaker

"I spent a lot of time in Ireland with Gordon and have some good memories, so to have a winner over there and especially at Fairyhouse would be unbelievable," he added. "He's still a horse with plenty of ability and Kelso showed he's still got that engine. If we can get each-way places with him we'd be thrilled."

Brewin'upastorm could form part of a small, but notable, team of British-trained runners at Fairyhouse, with six currently entered from the country across the three-day meeting.

They include the Harry Derham-trained Givemefive, who is part-owned by Major-winning golfers Brooks Koepka and Graeme McDowell, in the Grade 2 juvenile hurdle on Monday, while Springtime Promise is in the Grade 1 Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle for Fergal O'Brien on Sunday.

Murphy has enjoyed a fine run of form this month, enjoying big-race glory in Kelso's Listed Premier Chase with Thunder Rock and the Imperial Cup at Sandown with Go Dante.

Thunder Rock will be upped in class for his next assignment at Aintree's Grand National meeting. He also landed the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle in November.

Murphy said: "He's going to go to Aintree for the Bowl. It'll be his first run in open Grade 1 company, but we know he goes well fresh and we'll be riding him to run well. We hope he'll run a big race."

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