Strong Leader backed to thrive again in Liverpool

Olly Murphy is banking on a return to Aintree inspiring a resurgence for defending Ivy Liverpool Hurdle champion Strong Leader.

One of the Warren Chase handler’s star performers, the eight-year-old has regularly shown his best form on Merseyside, with Murphy saying there will be “no excuses” as he eyes a reproduction of his brilliant win in this race 12 months ago.

“Left-handed flat tracks seem to be the key to him so we’ve got no excuses here, and I won’t be making excuses afterwards,” said Murphy.

“He’s going back to a track that suits him, he’s in very good form and he loves the spring. It’s a left-handed track and good ground suits him well so we’re looking forward to running him.

“He loves a little bit of nicer ground, certainly more than some in there. If he turns up on his A-game then he’ll run very well.”

It was Paul Gilligan’s Buddy One and Henry de Bromhead’s Hiddenvalley Lake who filled the positions behind Strong Leader 12 months ago and both are in opposition once again, while Willie Mullins pitches in exciting five-year-old Kitzbuhel, who is unbeaten in two stars so far for Closutton.

Also among the Irish challenge is Gordon Elliott’s duo of Teahupoo and The Wallpark, second and third behind Bob Olinger in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and now tasked with enhancing the handler’s fine record in the race.

Elliott said: “Both are in great form since Cheltenham. They both ran good races in the Stayers’ Hurdle and there was no excuses, they were just beaten by a better horse on the day.

“It’s a race we’ve had success in before and hopefully one of them can get their head up on Saturday.”

Also on a raiding mission is Joseph O’Brien’s Home By The Lee, who had twice accounted for Stayers’ hero Bob Olinger on home soil this season but was hampered by a faller and unseated J J Slevin with a circuit still to run at Prestbury Park.

O’Brien said: “We’ve been very happy with him since Cheltenham. He’s been very good this year and it was frustrating the way things happened in the Stayers’ Hurdle, but that’s the way it goes and we’re still excited by his prospects for Aintree and the rest of the spring.”

Dan Skelton’s Gwennie May Boy was a handicap winner at this meeting last year and 12 months on is back in a Grade One after impressing in Haydock’s Rendlesham Hurdle in February.

“I think freshness will count a lot at Aintree this year and we’ve kept him fresh and well,” said Skelton.

“He looks great, won at the meeting last year and gets the trip really well. I don’t think a bit of nicer ground will be an issue and I’m looking forward to running him.”

Meanwhile, Harry Fry won this race with If The Cap Fits in 2019 and now attempts to repeat the feat with the in-form Altobelli.

“We put him in the Aintree Hurdle just in case, but I’ve always been keen to step him up in trip,” said Fry.

“The form of his two wins at Ascot has worked out well. It would require another step forward going into Grade One company, but he’s on an upward curve and we were keen to come to Aintree as a fresher horse as opposed to having run him at Cheltenham.”