My Murphy set for Uttoxeter outing

Liam Burke has confirmed that Thyestes Chase runner-up My Murphy has been lined up to run in the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter.

The nine-year-old took full advantage of The Job Is Right unseating his rider at the final fence in the big race at Gowran Park last Thursday to secure a nine-length second to Willie Mullins’ impressive Djakadam.

The winner’s next outing is set to be the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, while Burke has revealed that Uttoxeter’s prestigious handicap the following day is in his sights for My Murphy.

He said: “He ran a cracker. He was probably lucky to be second, but that’s racing.

“The winner was only a second-season novice going against seasoned handicappers, but he was the class horse of the race.

“It’s difficult to know where we’ll go now. The obvious race is the National Trial in Punchestown, but that comes up on Sunday, which is too quick.

“The next suitable race for him is the Bobbyjo Chase in Fairyhouse in the middle of February. He probably won’t be good enough for that, but he’ll have to run somewhere.

“The race we’re looking at for him is the Midlands National in Uttoxeter. I think that’s probably the race to aim for as you usually get soft ground there.

“We’ll give him an entry in the National at Aintree, just in case the ground came up soft. He ran in the Irish National last year but the ground had gone for him.”