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Chasing Fire set for Supreme test
Exciting prospect Chasing Fire is on course to appear next in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.The Olly Murphy-trained six-year-old took his record over timber to a perfect three with victory at Sandown on Saturday, to stay unbeaten in his career to date having also won a bumper and his point-to-point.
Sent off the 4-6 favourite for what was a step up in class in the Virgin Bet Novices' Hurdle, he handled it with ease to account for market rival Iliko D'Olivate - to whom he was giving 4lb - by six lengths.
"I was chuffed with him, he did really well. He was given a mark of 136 and I'm going to go straight to the Supreme with him, all being well," said Murphy.
"He's done everything right and I don't think we've seen the best of him yet. "He's on track and we're looking forward to it."
Meanwhile, Murphy could step Thunder Rock up in trip for his next outing following his good third to Gerri Colombe in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase on the same Sandown card.
Having won his first two starts over fences, he lost his unbeaten record to The Real Whacker at Cheltenham on his penultimate run and filled the same spot on his first test in Grade One company.
Thunder Rock, owned by the McNeill family and Ian Dale, had travelled well at the back of the seven-strong field before making stealthy headway approaching the second-last in the two-and-a-half-mile contest, only for Gerri Colombe to find plenty.
In finishing five and a half lengths adrift of Gordon Elliott's impressive winner, Murphy was more than satisfied with the run.
He could swerve both respective Cheltenham engagements, the Brown Advisory and Turners Novices' Chases, however.
"I was delighted with him. I thought he was going to win at the second-last, but he just kind of flattened out," said Murphy.
"I would imagine we will step him up to three miles, which I never thought I'd be saying. I'm not sure where he is going to go, but he might just be less likely, rather than more likely, to go to Cheltenham now.
"Whether we freshen him up and go straight to Aintree for the three-mile race (Mildmay Novices' Chase) or give him a race in between and go to Cheltenham, there's still a lot to be discussed with owners and internal race managers."