Murphy hoping trip brings out the best in Wade

Wade Out bids to continue his progression over fences in the Sun’s “Save Our Bets” Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

Trainer Olly Murphy has never made any secret of the regard in which he holds this six-year-old, who last season carried the red and white colours and part-owner Sir Alex Ferguson to victories at Uttoxeter, Lingfield and Wetherby over hurdles.

He got the better of a thrilling duel with the high-class Wendigo when making a successful start to his chasing career at Worcester last month and now steps up in trip and class for Friday’s three-mile-one-furlong Listed event.

“I’m looking forward to tackling that trip with him,” said Murphy.

“Obviously we’re going up half a mile in trip and I’d say we’re going to be running on very soft ground, but he’s in good form and relaxes well and I think he’ll stay no bother.

“We’re really looking forward to running him.”

Wade Out’s four rivals include the Anthony Honeyball-trained Leave Of Absence, who won over the course and distance last month.

Honeyball said: “He seems in good order since winning there last time and we’re very positive about his chances.

“I think he feels like a horse that will cope with whatever ground he needs to cope with. We don’t know this, but hopefully we’re going to find out that slow ground brings out his stamina – we’re hoping wet ground will be a positive rather than a problem.”

Isaac Des Obeaux represents Paul Nicholls and the field is completed by Neil Mulholland’s Double Powerful and James Owen’s One Big Bang, who is thrown in at the deep end on his chasing debut having competed at a good level over the smaller obstacles last term.

“He did very well for us over hurdles. It’s a tough ask for his debut over fences, but he’s got a bit of point-to-point experience and we always felt he’d be a better chaser than a hurdler,” said Owen.

“He’s run well at Cheltenham before and plenty of rain would suit him.”

There are plenty of decent names on show in the preceding Unibet Middle Distance Veterans’ Chase, which was a late addition to this meeting after the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase was cancelled due to unraceable ground.

Honeyball is set to turn Lord Baddesley out quickly following his emphatic victory at Newbury last week. The trainer added: “He should have a decent chance. It was a good while since he’d got his head in front, so it was lovely to see him win like that and he seems fine since.

“I suppose the unknown will be the ground because he hasn’t got a lot of form on soft. It’s possibly not ideal, but it’s the first chase on the first day so hopefully the ground will be reasonable at that point.”

The market principals also include Richard Hobson’s Fugitif and the Murphy-trained Gunsight Ridge, who has been off the track since finishing fourth in the Red Rum Handicap Chase at Aintree in the spring.

Murphy added: “He’s in very good form and he’ll handle the ground, I just hope he stays the trip on that type of ground.

“He’s done plenty, he’s had a racecourse gallop and he hasn’t got loads of miles on the clock for a veteran, so hopefully he’ll run very well.”

There would surely be no more popular winner of the £40,000 contest than Nicky Henderson’s grand old stager Mister Coffey, who bids to finally break his duck over fences at the 17th attempt.

“Along with Jonbon, they’ve been two good old soldiers and been around as long as Noah,” said the Seven Barrows handler.

“No one needs reminding that poor old Mister Coffey is still a maiden over fences, but it’s very hard to find the spot for him. You could run him in a beginners chase, but there are all the young boys in those.

“But he’s great and I think he’s in terrific form and there’s a method to this because it’s to get him ready for the cross-country, that’s his game now.”