Olly Murphy: Hunters Call 50-50 to run at Galway as protocols 'very complicated'

Olly Murphy: Hunters Call 50-50 to run at Galway as protocols 'very complicated'

Olly Murphy hopes to run Hunters Call in the Galway Hurdle or similarly sponsored Guinness Handicap Hurdle at the Galway festival next week but feels it is 50-50 as to whether the talented hurdler makes the trip due to travelling complications.

The Warwickshire trainer described the Covid-19 protocols for overseas runners in Ireland as "very complicated" with neither Murphy nor his senior staff able to make the journey.

Hunters Call provided Murphy with a first big success in 2017 when landing a Grade 3 handicap hurdle at Ascot and returned off a 921-day layoff to strike at Southwell this month.

The ten-year-old needs two horses to drop out to make the cut for the Galway Hurdle, while the Dan Skelton-trained Fair Mountain – the other British entry – needs three not to be declared for the race on Thursday week.

Murphy said: "It seems very complicated in getting a horse over there and who can travel with him and that's going to be the big issue. It's 50-50 at this stage.

Alan Crowhurst

"We're certainly having a look at running him if it's not a nightmare. If the ground came up very soft he may run in the Galway Hurdle if he gets in, but otherwise he could for the two-mile-seven-furlong race on nicer ground.

"I'd love to have a go at another nice pot with him and there's nothing to contest over here for the next few months."

Hunters Call is a 10-1 shot with Betfair Sportsbook for the Galway Hurdle with joint topweight and Grimes Hurdle winner Aramon heading the betting at 6-1, while Easy Game heads the Tote Galway Plate market at 6-1.

Jett, Peregrine Run and The Storyteller are at the head of the weights for the Plate.