Back in business: Colm Murphy set for surprise return to training ranks

Colm Murphy, the man who managed the career of Brave Inca, will make a dramatic return to the training ranks after exiting the stage due to financial reasons over two years ago.

Since his departure, Murphy has been employed as a stewards’ secretary, while running a breeding and pre-training operation from his base in Gorey, County Wexford.

It is the success of that operation that has led to Murphy's return to a craft in which he recorded 20 Grade 1 victories, with Brave Inca's 2004 Supreme Novices' Hurdle and 2006 Champion Hurdle and Big Zeb's 2010 Queen Mother Champion Chase successes standing out.

Colm Murphy pictured with Tony McCoy and Brave Inca

Explaining the decision, Murphy said: “We were always tipping away, doing plenty of pre-training and getting them ready, but we didn’t go away or anything like that, we just didn’t have runners.

“The business model will remain the same and we’ll still be buying and selling. We have a nice bunch of horses here and it will probably be the case where we run more ourselves.”

Murphy added: “The operation has got bigger a lot quicker than we thought it would so, and it makes sense for us to be doing a little bit more in house. I’d like to think we can do the job as good as anybody else.

“It’s a little bit different in that we’re probably a bit more self sufficient, in that we have a nice bunch of our own horses coming along. We’ve built up a little business here and because of that we’ve nice youngsters to look forward to.

“Before, we were probably more dependent on outside clients and while we would very much look forward to training for outside clients again, we have the horses ourselves this time.”

Asked whether or not he’d be heightening his interest on the Flat, Murphy added: “That’s part of the business plan alright. Everybody wants quality and that’s what we’ll look for.”

Three of Murphy's best

Brave Inca

A wonderfully talented hurdler, Brave Inca was a ten-time Grade 1 winner, including in the Champion Hurdle, Irish Champion Hurdle, Hatton's Grace Hurdle and Supreme Novices' Hurdle. Competed in 16 consecutive Grade 1s up to his retirement, winning six.

Big Zeb

Was a fixture in all the major two-mile chases for several seasons and won six Grade 1s during a career that returned 13 wins from 33 starts. Had his moment in the sun at the Cheltenham Festival when winning the Champion Chase in 2010.

Quito De La Roque

Certainly not built for speed, Quito De La Roque was a dour stayer who kept going when others had cried enough. A two-time Grade 1 winner, his finest hour came at Down Royal when winning the 2011 JNwine.com Champion Chase.

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