Strong Leader ‘fresh’ for chance to retain Liverpool Hurdle title

Strong Leader, successful in the Grade One Ivy Liverpool Hurdle 12 months ago, is among 16 entries for this year’s renewal.

Olly Murphy is hoping the fact he skipped the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham will play into his hands and accepts the eight-year-old will have “no excuses” should he be beaten, given everything looks to be in his favour.

“He’s good, he’s trained very well for the last six weeks and obviously this has been our plan for a while,” said Murphy.

“We skipped Cheltenham to keep him fresh, he’s back on a flat track, so we’re going there with no excuses.

“We’re looking forward to running him. Obviously, it is looking like a warm race but we’re going there with a good each-way chance.”

Murphy’s old boss Gordon Elliott appears to be the biggest stumbling block, as he has entered both Teahupoo, first and second in the last two renewals of the Stayers’ Hurdle, and The Wallpark, third in that Cheltenham event this term.

Dan Skelton has entered Rendlesham winner Gwennie May Boy and West To The Bridge, while Willie Mullins could step up in class with Coral Cup winner Jimmy Du Seuil.

Home By The Lee, Altobelli, Hiddenvalley Lake and Kitzbuhel are others in contention.

A total of 28 are in the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle, including Nicky Henderson’s four-year-old Lulamba and Fergal O’Brien’s unbeaten Horaces Pearl.

The Stuart Edmunds-trained Miami Magic, Jonjo and AJ O’Neill’s Mister Meggit and Elliott’s Romeo Coolio are also in the two-and-a-half-mile Grade One.

There are only seven entries in the Rosconn Group Maghull Novices’ Chase, which sees a potential rematch between Only By Night and L’Eau Du Sud, second and fourth in the Arkle.

Gidleigh Park, Kalif Du Berlais, Special Cadeau, Touch Me Not and Brookie are the other possibles.