Under The Radar: Danny Murphy's three to follow and more

Trainer Danny Murphy thought that Pinmoney had a chance all right at Naas on Sunday. The Pinatubo gelding had been well beaten at Cork last month, but Sligo next time was much more like it. He had to make his ground wide that day, and he kept on well to finish second.

He went to Naas on Sunday in good form, and Murphy knew that they had him in good form. The trainer watched as his horse made his ground on the near-side under Shane Foley, and he knew when he joined the leaders just inside the furlong marker that he would win all right. Nothing would be stronger from there up to the winning line.

“He was just starting to come right,” says Murphy. “This fellow is bred for stamina, but he has plenty of speed. His trip is five or six furlongs. It has taken us a little while to figure him out.”

 Pinmoney is out of a sister to Sheikhzayedroad, who won a Long Distance Cup at Ascot over two miles and a Doncaster Cup over two and a quarter, but there are no plans to step him up in trip again any time soon.

“He could go to Navan next week,” says his trainer. “He got 8lb for winning, but he came out of the race well, and he remains in great form.”

Methodtomy Madness is also in great form. He finished down the field in each of his first two runs, but he left those runs behind at Bellewstown on Tuesday, when he made just about all the running under Shane Foley to land the auction series maiden over five furlongs.

“It was great that he was able to do that,” says Murphy.  “He’s the first horse I’ve had for Con Marnane and his family, so it was nice that he was able to win like that.  He’s not straightforward, but he’s got lots of ability.  I just said to Shane, give him a kick out of the gates and I promise you, this horse will nearly win.  Shane is such a good rider.  It was the first time anyone had really grabbed the horse. We’ve only run two two-year-olds this season so far, and they have both won.”

The other two-year-old is Bear On The Run, who finished fifth behind Andab and Gavoo and Balantina in a six-furlong maiden at the Curragh in early May on her debut. Those three all ran in Group races subsequently, so it was not surprising that Bear On The Run was sent off at a short price on her second run, in another six-furlong maiden at Dundalk in August. She won that, too, bouncing out of the gate and making all, with a winning margin over over three lengths under Shane Foley.

“Shane rode her work the Saturday before, and he was very happy with her. We thought that she would go well all right.  It wasn’t a big surprise that she won as well as she did.”

Bear On The Run is a half-sister to Dun Na Sead, whom Murphy trained for the Kildare Racing Syndicate to win the Group 3 Mercury Stakes at Dundalk in October 2023, a race that the trainer also won last year with Ostraka. Bear On The Run could be on her way back to Dundalk now for the Group 3 Legacy Stakes in October, a race at which her stable companion Methodtomy Madness could also be targeted.

“Bear On The Run obviously goes well at Dundalk,” says Murphy.  “And she has the speed to be able to drop back down to five furlongs. Methodtomy Madness won well at Bellewstown, and he should be able to continue his progression.”

Murphy is progressing very nicely himself since his return to Ireland, and his experience runs deep. It was in the late 1990s that he established himself as one of the leading trainers in Macau, winning the Macau Derby twice, as well as the Macau Gold Cup, the Macau Sand Derby, and the Stanley Ho Cup. He was also champion trainer in Macau twice. 

He trained in Malaysia from 2001 to 2002, before spending three successful years in Singapore.  He won the Singapore Gold Cup at Kranji in 2005 with Terfel, with whom he also won a valuable handicap at Nad Al Sheba, thereby becoming one of a select group of Singapore horses to win in Dubai. Murphy came back to Ireland in 2018, when he embarked on a successful stint with Kieran Cotter before he went out on his own at the end of the 2023 season. 

“My son was getting married six years ago,” he says. “That was the catalyst. I thought that it would be a good time to come back to Ireland.”

His first runner under his new licence was Ocean Baroque, who was sent off at 9-2 for a valuable nursery at Cork in September 2023. He duly won nicely.  Then Dun Na Sead won the Group 3 Mercury Stakes at Dundalk, Moral Turpitude also won at Dundalk, then Maggie McGrath won at Dundalk, and momentum built.

 Last year, his first full year with a licence in Ireland, he had 11 winners.  This year, already he has had 14.  

“Our aim this year is 20 winners,” he says, “and we are well on our way. The horses are going well and we’re continuing to grow. We still have some nice two-year-olds to run, and we have orders for yearlings, so we’ll be active at the yearling sales this year. We have lots to look forward to for the rest of the season.”

A fast filly who ran a big race in a valuable fillies’ handicap over five furlongs at York last week. She is on track for the Group 3 Mercury Stakes at Dundalk in October, a race in which her trainer will be going for a hat-trick of wins.

Ran on nicely to finish a good third in a barrier trial at Leopardstown on Wednesday, and he will be of interest when he makes his racecourse debut. Make sure you add him to our Racing TV Tracker one he has a profile!

She was impressive in winning her maiden at Dundalk last time on just her second start, and she will be of interest again stepped up in grade.