Strong Leader battles to victory - again

Strong Leader set for racecourse gallop at Newbury as Olly Murphy preps six

Horse Racing

Sat November 14, 2026 · 40 min ago

Olly Murphy intends to give Strong Leader a spin during the Coral Gold Cup Gallops Morning at Newbury on Tuesday.

The battle-hardened nine-year-old will feature as part of a squad of six horses the Wilmcote handler intends to send down to the event, which has become an annual fixture in the calendar in the build-up towards the two-day meeting.

Like last year, the Passing Glance gelding won the Grade Two bet365 Hurdle, better known as the West Yorkshire Hurdle, on his return to action at Wetherby.

However, Murphy hopes that unlike last year, he can follow that win up at the same level back at the Berkshire track later this month in the Coral Long Distance Hurdle, which he claimed in 2024, after having to settle for second best in it 12 months ago behind Impose Toi.

Murphy said: “Strong Leader is going to go to Newbury to gallop there on Tuesday morning, as part of a team of six horses we are going to send there, before going for the Long Distance Hurdle.

“He was very tough at Wetherby, and he came out of that race well. He loves Newbury, and he has a run under his belt, which will really help him.”

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