“It’s All To Play For” – Murphy Team Place Faith In Derby Hope White Birch

John Murphy has described himself as very lucky to have come across Betfred Derby contender White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) and says that his 14-1 chance for Epsom glory is more than worthy of his shot in the line-up for the eagerly-awaited Classic. 

White Birch identified himself as a bona fide Derby prospect when streaking to G3 Ballysax S. glory at Leopardstown earlier in the season. From there, he went on to overcome a tardy start to finish an excellent second behind The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in the G2 Dante S. at York, enhancing his Derby credentials in the process. 

Murphy, who turned 62 last week, said, “It's hugely exciting. It gives you a pep in the step and we're really looking forward to it.”

Murphy is best known for sending out Newmill (Ire) (Norwich {GB}) to win the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2006. That was the Upton-based trainer's first ever top-level triumph and he followed it up with another when Newmill went on to win at the Punchestown Festival later that spring. 

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since the days of Newmill, with Murphy almost entirely concentrating on the Flat now, the fruits of which will be in full bloom on Saturday.

“We're just very lucky,” he added. “We're very thankful to everyone who has made it possible, especially all of our staff, who have done a great job with White Birch.”

However, it's not entirely true to say that White Birch will be Murphy's first Derby runner. The man who describes himself as a producing trainer, a nod to the fact he gets as much of a kick out of selling horses as he does winning with them, pinhooked Papal Bull (GB) many moons ago. 

Papal Bull went on to finish a luckless 10th in the Derby for Sir Michael Stoute the same year Newmill won the Champion Chase and is just another horse that Murphy enhanced the value of, having bought him as a foal for just 20,000gns and selling him on to Demi O'Byrne as a yearling for 100,000gns. 

But it is Murphy's son George, along with the help of Tally-Ho Stud's Roger O'Callaghan, who deserve all the credit for finding White Birch. O'Callaghan highly recommended the grey to the 29-year-old and a private deal was brokered. 

Recalling the story, Murphy said, “It was George who saw White Birch first. The horse had been recommended by Roger O'Callaghan of Tally-Ho Stud and you have to listen when Roger speaks. When George went to see him, he loved him. He's a beautiful-looking horse. He had everything.”

There may have been a certain amount of luck in White Birch finding his way to the Murphys but even more when it came to hanging on to the horse. The phone calls were endless when White Birch won his maiden by over six lengths at Dundalk last November but it was long-standing owner Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez, who has had Big Time (Ire) (Kheleyf) and Charterhouse (GB) (Charming Thought {GB}) here and won the Oaks with the Aidan O'Brien-trained Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who came up trumps.

Murphy said, “He always did it easy and always had a lovely brain. He did it very well at Dundalk and there was a lot of interest in him after that. 

“The owners [Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez] expressed an interest and we were delighted that they bought him and were kind enough to leave him in training with us. They are long-standing owners of ours and love their racing. They are here for a good one now anyway.”

A good one might be putting it mildly. White Birch is well found in the Derby market and, with Shane Foley committed to riding Jessica Harrington's Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Colin Keane has been booked to ride. 

Murphy said, “We're delighted to have Colin on board. We have had a good relationship with Colin over the last number of years and White Birch definitely won't be lacking in the saddle anyway.”

And what would success mean to this father-and-son operation who have been without a flagship Group 1 horse for the best part of a decade?

“It's huge,” comes the response. “We might seem calm but, inside, a lot is going on. It's all to play for in the Derby. He probably has as much entitlement to go there as anything else in the race. Everything is good with the horse and we are happy.”

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Ulysses’s White Birch In Ballysax Upset

Conspicuous by his colour if not his presence in the betting market, Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's recent acquisition White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}–Diagnostic {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) overhauled the customary representation of the O'Briens and Bolger in Leopardstown's G3 P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax S. to provide the John Joseph Murphy stable with a red-letter day. Anchored at the tail of the field early by Shane Foley, the almost-white grey who had opened his account by 6 1/2 lengths over seven furlongs sporting Murphy's own silks at Dundalk in November loomed large out wide as Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Alexandroupolis (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) made his move in early straight. Hampered as that 4-5 favourite lugged right approaching the furlong pole which also affected the Joseph O'Brien-trained Up And Under (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) before they went clear, the 22-1 shot had that bit extra inside the dying strides to prevail by half a length. There was eventually four lengths between Up And Under and Alexandroupolis, who could fare no better than third as he failed to bring up a Ballydoyle trial treble.

“We were very excited coming in, as we always thought he was a very serious horse and his work had been super,” the winning trainer said. “He was very impressive in his maiden and he did what we hoped he could do today. There is a fair bit more to come, as he has a big engine and I couldn't thank the owner enough for keeping him with us. His first run was on heavy ground at Naas and he finished out strong, so I was confident he'd get through it and the good ones can do it on anything. With the pace he showed at Dundalk, we weren't 100 per-cent confident he'd get a mile and a quarter but I don't think we'd be too worried going anywhere with him now. He's very well-balanced and moves very well, so I wouldn't be worried about going to Epsom–we'll have a serious chat with the owner and make a plan.”

Pedigree Notes
White Birch, who provided his sire with back-to-back renewals of the Ballysax after Piz Badile (Ire), is Cheveley Park breeding through and through. He is the second of two foals out of Diagnostic, who proved a useful sort in the red, white and blue of the Thompsons when winning four times at six and seven furlongs campaigned by William Haggas almost exclusively on the all-weather. Her dam Holistic (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) is a full-sister to the Listed Kilvington Fillies' S. winner and stakes producer Prescription (GB) and a half to four further black-type winners headed by Clinical (GB) (Motivator {GB}), who proved especially adept on Epsom's unique contours when winning the G3 Princess Elizabeth S. before producing the G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) runner-up and G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. third Lockheed (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}).

Further back, White Birch boasts as one of his relatives the renowned Secreto mare Rahaam, who was not only responsible for the top-class grey Verglas (Ire) but also the G2 King's Stand S. winner and all-round sprinting talent Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) who in turn threw the illustrious performer and producer Halfway To Heaven (Ire) by Cheveley Park's flagship sire Pivotal (GB). Her Galileo (Ire) daughters Magical (Ire) and Rhododendron (Ire) need no introduction, with the latter the dam of Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who at present at least looks the biggest obstacle to White Birch should connections take the grey down the Derby route.

Sunday, Leopardstown, Ireland
P.W. MCGRATH MEMORIAL BALLYSAX S.-G3, €50,000, Leopardstown, 4-2, 3yo, 10fT, 2:19.95, hy.
1–WHITE BIRCH (GB), 131, c, 3, by Ulysses (Ire)
     1st Dam: Diagnostic (GB), by Dutch Art (GB)
     2nd Dam: Holistic (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
     3rd Dam: Doctor's Glory, by Elmaamul
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (75,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 48,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Mrs C C Regalado-Gonzalez; B-Cheveley Park Stud Limited (GB); T-John Joseph Murphy; J-Shane Foley. €30,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $42,029. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Up And Under (Fr), 131, c, 3, Lope De Vega (Ire)–Hibiscus (Ire), by Galileo (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (220,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 130,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT; €130,000 2yo '22 ARQMAY). O-Go Racing Limited; B-Floors Stud Roxburgh Estate Office (FR); T-Joseph O'Brien. €10,000.
3–Alexandroupolis (Ire), 131, c, 3, Camelot (GB)–Jazz Cat (Ire), by Tamayuz (GB).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. TDN Rising Star. (240,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-D Smith,Mrs J Magnier,M Tabor,Westerberg; B-Mrs Fitri Hay (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €5,000.
Margins: HF, 4, 1 3/4. Odds: 22.00, 7.50, 0.80.
Also Ran: Serious Challenge (Ire), Denmark (GB), Mohawk Chief. Scratched: Alder (Ire).

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Steel Bull Changes Hands, to Be Supplemented to Phoenix

Group 3 winner Steel Bull (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}), owned and trained by Michael O’Callaghan for his first two starts, will contest the Aug. 9 G1 Phoenix S. at The Curragh under new ownership, as he was purchased privately by Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez, Racing Post reported on Monday. The son of Macarthurs Park (Ire) (Equiano {Fr}) will be supplemented to the six-furlong feature. For O’Callaghan, the £28,000 Goffs UK Breeze Up juvenile broke his maiden by 2 1/2 lengths at first asking at Naas on July 22. He followed up in the July 29 G3 Molecomb S. at the Qatar Goodwood Festival to maintain his perfect record and will stay in O’Callaghan’s care.

“Mrs. Regalado-Gonzalez has purchased Steel Bull and the plan is that the horse will run in the Phoenix S. at the weekend,” Regalado-Gonzalez’s racing manager Bill Dwan told Racing Post. “He was very impressive at Naas first time out, winning by 2 ½ lengths, then he backed that up in better company at Goodwood. He did it the hard way in the Molecomb S., so he looks an exciting prospect and please God he can compete at the top level this weekend.

“The [G1] Nunthorpe has also been mentioned, but we’ll take one step at a time. A lot has happened quickly for this horse, so I wouldn’t like to predict too far into the future. After the Phoenix, we’ll let the dust settle and see what the next option is.”

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