No Blue Mondays here
Tue 21 Jan 2025
Winner 3 of 2025: IKARAK, trained by Olly Murphy and ridden by Sean Bowen. ‘Love Warwick Chamber Of Trade Handicap Hurdle’ over 3m1f at Warwick.
Ikarak bounced back in tremendous style from his run over fences last time out at Aintree. He travelled well throughout the race, made a mistake at a crucial time, but came back, taking the lead two from home and battled well under a brilliant Sean Bowen, to win by a neck. Having been off a 3 pounds higher mark than his previous success at Warwick on the 20th of November, exactly two months ago, he is now a 4-time winner in our silks, and a 6-time winner overall.
Watch the full race replay here: https://www.racingtv.com/results/2025-01-20/warwick/1408
Timeform rated his victory with a 123, commenting: "Resumed winning ways with his chase career quickly put on the backburner, now 2 from 3 for a yard who are on course for their best ever season in terms of winners; mid-field, travelled well, mistake eighth, not fluent 3 out, led next, tackled run-in, driven out."
Read below what Olly Murphy had to say about his second success since he has joined the yard:
"Very well done today with Ikarak. Really, really good performance under top weight. He battled really well from the back of the last to see off a resurgent horse of Laura Horsfall's, looking for a 3-timer. Certainly appreciated dropping back to smaller obstacles, and he jumped better on a whole, with the ground probably not being as soft as he would prefer it. A very good performance from your horse, and delighted to have him back in the winners enclosure."
Find the official photo gallery here: https://www.dwprattracingphotography.co.uk/gallery.html