'I think it's the best bunch of horses we've put together' 'Graham was thrilled after schooling The Hollinwell'.

SPEAKING in his stable tour last season, Ferdy Murphy made clear his feelings about Kalahari King. "There is no doubt he is good enough for the Arkle," he said, and the stable star proved his trainer to be absolutely right by coming within inches of landing the 2m novice championship. One stable tour later, Murphy is more cautious. Although still oozing admiration for Kalahari King, who went on to win Aintree's Grade 1 Maghull Chase, he admits that another major step forward will be required for his exuberant young chaser to worry Master Minded at Cheltenham in March - or, indeed, Kauto Star at Kempton in December.

Even so, Murphy is famous for getting the best out of his animals, and he will be trying to do just that from a string that has him excited.

"I think it's the best bunch of horses we've put together," said Murphy. "We always have plenty of nice young horses coming through, but I don't think I've ever had a better group of mature horses as well. We minded some of the younger ones last season and I think that will pay off this season."

Interview by Lee Mottershead Aces Four 10g Fourstars Allstar - Special Trix DPRP Aces Partnership 241F/P5/ RPR 130h 162c We knew he was coming close to breaking down when we started with him last season, so we stopped the minute it became obvious and stem cell treatment seems to have done him no end of good. He is full of himself at the moment, and although he hasn't done any fast work yet, he has been doing full canters for about six weeks. I wouldn't want to run him in the King George first time out, so we'll probably build him up with a few runs over hurdles before maybe targeting the Aon Chase.

He likes a flat track, so although we'll look at the Gold Cup, the Totesport Bowl at Aintree, where he was very impressive as a novice, is probably more realistic.

Bedlam Boy 8g Broken Hearted - Evening Fashion Tony Ambler U6U493-RPR 138h 108c We figured out that when he gets crowded he stops concentrating, which explains why he fell twice over fences. However, we think he has the ability to be a natural front-runner, so he'll have another go over fences in two to three weeks. Graham [Lee] has done a lot of schooling on the horse and he now seems to be much more sensible. He has a little wear and tear in his joints, but he also has a real engine.

Beggars Boy 7g Lord Of Appeal - Ann's Cap Trevor Hemmings 17U32-1 RPR 102h 142c Graham said he was still hard on the bridle when he pitched and landed on his head at the third-last of the Grand Annual. Barry Geraghty then said he would have won at Haydock if he had held him up, but he then finished his season with a win at Aintree. He loves to hear his feet rattle and is good enough to run in the big 2m handicaps.

Best Horse 7g Xaar - Poplife Miss R E A Menzies 230/620-RPR 101h Has strengthened up a lot and looks handicapped to win races. Will probably start off in a novice hurdle at Aintree next week.

Big Burrows 7g Supreme Leader - Bula Vogue Mrs J Morgan 5/96412-RPR 118h His frame is a little delicate, but his owners have been fantastic by giving him all the time he has needed. Their patience was rewarded when he won well at Kelso, which confirmed he has an engine. I think once we get a season's chasing into him he'll turn out to be quite good.

Cardinal Spirit 7g Selkirk - Answered Prayer One Day Soon Rodney Racing 25120/2-RPR 108h 82c Back in training and will go novice chasing. Missed last season with a little tweak and, as he's such a huge monster of a horse, we thought the best thing to do was put him in a field. He wants a trip and will prove ideal for staying chases.

Carry Duff 8g Deploy - Pink Brief R J V Partnership 1P5UP0-RPR 85h 110c Everything that could go wrong went wrong for him last season, but he is definitely now well enough treated to win a few races around somewhere like Towcester, where he has done well in the past.

Catch Bob 5g Bob Back - Catch The Breeze A & S Enterprises Ltd 262-150 RPR 101h His owner was sponsoring the day he ran at Uttoxeter this month, but that race was over 2m6f and he will be best back at 2m. He's a three-parts brother to Cousin Vinny and is a nice horse for the future.

De Boitron 5g Sassanian - Pondiki Mrs J Morgan and Mrs Lindsey J Shaw 55121-3 RPR 90h 126c A cracking little horse who has improved hand over fist since we bought him out of a claimer. We weren't sure he would handle the deep ground at Punchestown, but Graham felt he would and was proved right when the horse ran a cracking race to be third. He has a fair turn of foot, so he could improve beyond his rating of 120.

Divers 5g Highest Honor - Divination DPRP Divers Partnership 2122-52 RPR 131h Probably hadn't acclimatised when he raced for the Million In Mind partnership, but he has done well since we've had him and is unlucky not to have won three times for us. We'll keep him over hurdles and he won't mind racing on quick ground.

Elzahann 7m Saddlers' Hall - Serpentine Artiste Ian Allan Todd 23211-1 RPR 131h She finished last season with a good win in a decent handicap at Haydock, but they went crazy up front that day and Graham rode the race absolutely brilliantly. For me it was the ride of the season, as he let them all do their own thing up front before picking them off and, in the end, she won very easily. We did think about going chasing, but we're going to stick to hurdling as we don't think the staying division is that strong and, as a mare, you'd like to think she could get some black type. She has improved again through the summer, and though I'm not saying she's good enough to win a World Hurdle, I do think she's good enough to be placed in it. She started the season with a promising run at Cheltenham where she was badly interfered with down the back. She would also have appreciated being able to get her toe in more and she's likely to go back for the valuable staying handicap at the next meeting.

Farmers Cross 5g Old Vic - Ace Conqueror Dr John Mitchell 8F901-2 RPR 115h We bought him at the sales out of Philip Hobbs's yard. He has rushed his hurdles in the past and perhaps doesn't bend his back as much as he should, but we've done a lot of loose work with him over poles. He isn't over-big, but he has a great attitude, and I think he'll turn out to be a better horse for the north than the south.

Frosty Lad 5g Moscow Society - Johnston's Crest Chris Cooper 1 (PTP) RPR 87 (PTP) Won one point-to-point in Ireland after which I bought him in a sale at Cheltenham. He's a nice horse who we'll start off in novice hurdles.

Galant Nuit 5g Comte Du Bourg - Little Blue David Parry 9F145-2 RPR 102h 128c He struggled last season after losing his four-year-olds' penalty but still ran well on his final start at Aintree and again on Friday at Cheltenham. He likes to get his toe in, and he is well up to running in the better 3m handicap chases.

I'm Delilah 7m Overbury - Gallants Delight C S Johnston 72212-1 RPR 112h Won twice over hurdles last season and is going to be a real nice mare for novice chases. She's ready to run now and we couldn't be happier with her.

Kalahari King 8g Kahyasi - Queen Of Warsaw Mrs J Morgan 121212-RPR 147h 162c We were thrilled with his progress last season, and although he was touched off in the Arkle, his owners were thrilled with his performance.

He got a dream run down the inner but was totally blinded at the third-last. He did well to stand up, and without that happening would have landed within two lengths of Forpadydeplasterer - instead he found himself about eight lengths behind. However, what it says in the Racing Post the following day is the result, so I'm not going to take anything away from the winner and we did get a nice consolation prize at Aintree.

He pulled a muscle in his back before running at Sandown, and though he looked fine to run, we knew the minute he jumped the first fence that he wasn't okay as he's a brilliant jumper but on that occasion spent about a minute and a half in the air.

Looking forward, he'll probably have an entry for the King George. If it comes up very lively, he could run there, but if there's any juice, he wouldn't. Before that, he'll go for the Peterborough via a 2m1f limited handicap at Kelso on November 7. Like all of ours, he'll improve for his first run, but he has strengthened up a bit and maybe grown up a little as well. It feels like he has improved again, so we hope he might be up to taking in the Champion Chase, but it's important to stress that he's going to really need to step up to merit going there. No matter what division you're in, the second season is always going to be harder than the first. We've now got to play with the big boys, and the big boys are tough buggers.

Kellystown Lad 6g Old Vic - Kissangel The Croffed Fingers Partnership P811-1 (PTP) RPR 105 (PTP) Won three points and looks very good. He looks like a chaser, but we'll bring him along in hurdles. Like Frosty Lad and Where's My Soul, who we also bought out of points, he is giving us the right vibes.

Mansonn Leda 6m Mansonnien - Oleada Simon and Mark Hubbard Rodwell 8/5437-2 RPR 102h I'd love the BHA to look again at her race at Catterick last December.

They said we stopped her, but we never do that, and I'd love them to have the balls to revisit the race and admit we did nothing wrong. Graham gave her a peach of a ride to finish second at Market Rasen and she should be able to win races.

Mister Wall Street 4g Take Risks - Miss Breezy Mrs C McKeane 1-0 RPR 81b Michael Phillips had prepared him for a breeze-up in Ireland, so the groundwork had been done before he went to Haydock and won a bumper on his debut. We took him to Punchestown because the owners were over there and up for a bit of craic, but the ground was bottomless which ruined his chance. Graham has been pleased with his schooling and he'll probably start off in a northern novice hurdle in about three weeks' time. Like most bumper horses, he'll probably want 2m4f.

Naiad Du Misselot 8g Dom Alco - Une Nuit Hill, Trembath, Bryan and Outhart 254P5-2 RPR 136h 144c I sometimes believe that if you throw enough muck against a wall, it will stick, but as hard as we tried, this horse just didn't take to fences. He's not very big and he found jumping fences very difficult, so we'll stay over hurdles this season. He had problems with splints last season, which I think also affected him, but it doesn't seem to be a problem now.

He looks to be way stronger this season and I was very pleased with him on Saturday at Cheltenham, where Graham said he wasn't great over the first few hurdles but after that he got into a lovely rhythm.

New Alco 8g Dom Alco - Cabira Des Saccart D McGowan and S Murphy 7/1P025/ RPR 120h 154c He is an ideal type for the Hennessy, which will be his first race back. He missed last season with an injury but won very well first time out two seasons ago at Carlisle before disappointing in the Hennessy, when things didn't go well for him. He likes to race fresh, so he'll be interesting at Newbury, and he has proven time and again that he is a force in the big handicaps.

Nine De Sivola 8g Video Rock - Quine De Chalamont DPRP Sivola Partnership 22P43PRPR 127h 146c We've decided not to get going with him too early, so he'll run in a novice chase in January before the Eider and then another crack at the Cheltenham Festival fourmiler, which he was third in last year having fallen in it the year before. He has to be the UK's unluckiest novice chaser, as he still hasn't won over fences. The ground was way too fast for him when he was pulled up as favourite in the Scottish National - these days he wants to get his toe in.

Ockey De Neulliac 7g Cyborg - Graine De Neulliac Ferdy Murphy 221/162-RPR 112h We're excited about him. He has grown up so much and you wouldn't believe how well he has done over the summer. He beat a hotpot of Howard Johnson's first time out last season but then got stressed up in the stableyard at Haydock. Because of that, I took off his noseband, but Graham wasn't able to hold him without it. We backed off him after that until giving him one more run at Newcastle, where he was second to a Flat horse. I reckon 2m will be his trip and I think he is definitely an Arkle horse.

Only The Best 6g Flemensfirth - Celtic Remorse DPRP Best Partnership 4P/F1-24 RPR 102h A gorgeous horse who has schooled really well, but although he is ready to run, we'll wait until the ground eases. He'll have a season over hurdles, but he's built like a house and is going to be an out-and-out chaser in time.

Orki Des Aigles 7g Le Balafre - Rose Des Aigles W H Winlow - Mrs C Seymour P02P/51-RPR 103h 116c One of his owners is from near Market Rasen, so it was fantastic that he won last season's Lincolnshire National. He got some birch in a joint that day, which caused his subsequent absence, but the same race will be the aim again, and if we can get him up the handicap a bit, he'll go for the Eider as his other joint-owner is from Newcastle. That way, we'll The view down the gallops at Ferdy Murphy's yard in West Witton, North Yorkshire keep both sides happy!

Poker De Sivola 6g Discover D'Auteuil - Legal Union D A Johnson 362F70-RPR 133h 144c I really fancied him for the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir, but I think a novice at Cheltenham should really be going down the inner, whereas we were pushed out to the outer. At the third-last, it looked as though he would win, but he couldn't get there up the hill. However, he almost did get up at Kelso on Saturday, where he ran a real good race under Keith Mercer. If he can keep going up the weights, he could be a horse for the William Hill at Cheltenham, but I also think he will stay further than 3m.

Rich Lord 5g Zamindar - Al Corniche DPRP Lord Partnership 15F/520-RPR 121h Since we've had him he hasn't stopped growing. He has become a monster and, although he has a Flat pedigree, I think he's now right to jump fences. I won't run him until the middle of November as he doesn't want lively ground, but I'm looking forward to running him in novice chases.

Riguez Dancer 5g Dansili - Tricoteuse DPRP Second Dance Partnership and John Mitchell 213/234-RPR 126h We like this horse a lot. After we bought him, Patrick Haslam'son, Ben, told me that the horse hadn't had a break for some time, so we took the hind shoes off him and gave him a month in a field. That seems to have done him the world of good and he's now being prepared for a novice chase campaign. He'll be schooled in about two weeks' time and I think he could be very good. His form over hurdles was top class and he even beat Kalahari King at Newcastle before going on to win under a penalty at Towcester, which for a four-yearold was pretty impressive .

Patrick Haslam always thought he would be at his best over fences and I don't think he would have to improve too much to end up as an Arkle contender. Sumak 5g Kahyasi - Lady Slave Tony Pye andMasoud Khadem 4 RPR 94h Finished fourth on his only run and will be a nice horse for novice hurdles. He's built along the same lines as Kalahari King and I think he'll be quite useful. The Duke's Speech 8g Saddlers' Hall - Dannakalia Mrs A N Durkan 2323-P1 RPR 129h 135c Runs at Aintree next week. after winning at Perth last time. He always pays his way and for a few drinks on top of that. The Hollinwell 6g Classic Cliche - Action De Balle Mr and Mrs Neil Iveson 06523PRPR 120h He has summered really well and Graham, who has always maintained this horse's future is over fences, was thrilled to bits after schooling him .

However, he is massive, well over 17 hands high, and with a fantastic stride as well, so I do think that it will take him a bit of time to get into a rhythm when he starts racing over fences. Potentially, he could be very good. Three Mirrors 9g Cloudings - Aliuska Sean J Murphy 1/5564PRPR 111h 151c We've done a bit of work on his wind and since then he has been training very well. He was very free when we first got him, but he is better now and has been very consistent, as a result of which he has gone up the weights. He was a little bit excited early on at Cheltenham on Saturday and I think he'll take a couple of runs to chill out and relax, so we might take him to Aintree this weekend. Tidal Fury 7g Night Shift - Tidal Reach Mrs Lindsey J Shaw 7P/56P1- RPR 135c Won well for us at Uttoxeter, where he gave Graham an incredible feeling, but as he pulled up he let out a massive gasp, which suggested he had been holding his breath. We took him down to Newmarket, where quite a bit of work was done on him. He wants the ground quite soft, so he won't be out until the middle of November, but he could be good enough to win a decent handicap .

We might also take him back to France, where he's done well in the past. Watch My Back 8g Bob Back - Gallants Delight Tony Ambler 5141P-2 RPR 108h 138c I like him a lot and he is potentially very good. For some reason, he didn't believe in himself last season but he seems to be gaining in confidence and we've been pleased with what he has been doing at home.He also delighted us on Saturday at Cheltenham, where he made a horrendous mistake when not seeing much light but still ran a lovely race. I'll definitely give him an entry in the Paddy Power Gold Cup. Where's My Soul 5g Luso - Ellen Gail Mrs M Findlay 1241-1 (PTP) RPR 102 (PTP) He did well in points for Liam Burke and is a very smart prospect. He'll go novice hurdling and will probably want 2m4f.-plus. He's the first horse we've had for Harry Findlay, and it's great to have him as an owner - he's one of those people who is great for racing because he has the feelgood factor about him all the time .

CAPTION(S):

Winning team: Ferdy Murphy and Graham Lee after Kalahari King's Aintree success last season