A trainer’s proud smile and a jockey’s quiet nod told the story before a word was spoken. All eyes will be on Resplendent Grey when Carlisle stages its biggest jumps raceday of the year this Sunday (November 2nd), as the talented grey makes his much-anticipated reappearance in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase. The Listed contest, run over two miles and three furlongs, has become a benchmark for emerging chasers, and trainer Olly Murphy is quietly optimistic that his star can shine once again.
Murphy, who trains at Wilmcote in Warwickshire, couldn’t hide his satisfaction this week as Resplendent Grey strode purposefully through his final piece of work. The seven-year-old ended last season on a high when storming home to land the Gold Cup at Sandown on the final day of the campaign, and his trainer is eager to see him pick up where he left off. “It’s absolutely the plan for him to go to Carlisle on Sunday, as long as the ground is on the slow side of good,” Murphy said. “We are just going to need some rain, but hopefully it looks like there is some in the forecast. He is in good form and this looks a lovely race to start him off in. He has done well over the summer and we are looking forward to getting going with him again.”
Carlisle’s showpiece race carries a prize fund of £40,000 and pays tribute to the late Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Colin Parker, who was based at Lockerbie. The race is restricted to first- and second-season chasers, and its roll of honour features some illustrious names – Lostintranslation, Waiting Patiently, Cyrname, Monet’s Garden and Grand National hero Many Clouds all once used this stage as a springboard to greatness. Two years ago, the race was won by Thunder Rock under the same trainer-jockey combination of Murphy and Sean Bowen, who will again take the reins aboard Resplendent Grey this weekend.
The expected field of eleven promises a fiercely competitive renewal. Wales-based trainer Rebecca Curtis saddles Haiti Couleurs, who enjoyed a remarkable campaign last season, winning the Princess Royal National Hunt Novices’ Handicap Chase at Cheltenham before a memorable victory in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. Handstands from Ben Pauling’s yard and The Changing Man for Joe Tizzard both arrive with graded successes to their names, while local hopes rest on The Kalooki Kid, trained by Nicky Richards, and Hombre De Guerra from Nick Alexander’s yard, both of whom rounded off last season in fine form.
Murphy’s stable has started the term in blistering shape, with ten winners from his last twenty-two runners – an enviable strike rate that reflects the depth and health of his operation. Resplendent Grey has always been seen as one for the top table, and Sunday’s assignment is expected to serve as the perfect pipe-opener before he targets the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury next month. The versatile gelding handles a range of distances and conditions, but Murphy’s eyes are fixed on the weather, knowing that a bit of ease in the ground would bring out the best in his charge.
Carlisle’s grandstand will buzz with expectation as racegoers gather to see whether Resplendent Grey can pick up where he left off. This is more than just another seasonal return – it is a chance to reaffirm class, courage, and connection between horse and team. With the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase serving as a launchpad for future champions, victory here would mark a statement of intent for the months ahead.
Named in honour of a man whose training legacy still resonates through northern racing, the Colin Parker Chase carries both prestige and sentiment. And as the runners turn for home on Sunday afternoon, the echo of history will ride the autumn air once again – a reminder that great stories in racing are always written by the brave who dare to return.
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