'Sometimes you’ve got to have a go' - Murphy ponders Stayers' bid for Strong Leader following Long Distance success

Olly Murphy has set his sights on returning to the top level with Strong Leader after his successful seasonal reappearance in the Grade 2 Coral Long Distance Hurdle.

A winner of the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree on his final start last term, Strong Leader was trimmed to 8-1 (from 12) with Paddy Power for the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

His spring targets will be decided later in the season, but Murphy, who was notching his 58th winner of the campaign, has identified the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on December 21 as Strong Leader’s next assignment.

Murphy said: "It’s a Grade 1 and you’ve got to have a go sometimes in life. I’m looking forward to going there and we had that race in mind before today.

"He improved throughout the whole of last season and I’d like to think he’ll do the same this term. He’s as good a staying three-mile hurdler as we've got on this side of the water by the looks of things, and hopefully he can keep progressing."

Strong leader: an impressive winner at NewburyCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Ridden by Sean Bowen, who enjoyed a double with the James Owen-trained Opec winning the Listed 2m½f fillies’ juvenile hurdle, Strong Leader finished three and a half lengths clear of Monmiral. Coral Cup winner Langer Dan edged out Flight Deck to finish third, nine lengths behind the runner-up.

It was the seven-year-old’s second Graded success and Murphy believes he will only improve as the season progresses.

"I’m over the moon to have him. He’s a very good horse, but until we get to the bottom of him I don’t know how good he can be. 

"It was his first start of the season and I had him as fit as I could get him. We’re obviously mindful of the rest of the season, so I left a bit to work with. He’s not a flashy horse, he doesn’t do anything over-exuberantly, but overall he jumped well."

When asked if the Stayers’ Hurdle would be Strong Leader’s end-of-season target, Murphy said: "We’ll head for the Long Walk and then potentially look at the Cleeve Hurdle and see if we go for a Stayers’ or wait for Aintree. Sometimes in life you’ve got to have a go. If we go for a Stayers’ he’ll have to run in a Cleeve and go very close to winning."

Strong Leader was the fourth winner on the card who had taken part in the track’s Coral morning gallops last week. Regent’s Stroll, Kalif Du Berlais and The Jukebox Man were also scorers on the day. 

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