TALKING dogs and horses
A TREBLE at The Curragh on Sunday, coming soon after another hat-trick at Leopardstown on Thursday evening, has strengthened Johnny Murtagh's bid for successive jockeys' championships.
Even though there has been little between the Ballydoyle no. 1, Fran Berry and Pat Smullen throughout the campaign, Murtagh was a clear outsider of the three in the betting.
Berry has headed the market for the most part, many people believing this will finally be his year, especially with the retirement of Mick Kinane giving him more opportunities at John Oxx's yard. He also picks up plenty of outside rides, has forged a good association with Jessica Harrington and revels in the all-weather.
Smullen's attachment to the Rosewell House team of Dermot Weld means he will be right there pitching until the end of term as he tries for a sixth title having last been victorious in 2008.
The bookies were being a little generous with Murtagh's odds mainly due to the fact he is required overseas a lot by his employers and can get into trouble on occasion with the stewards.
Nevertheless, he stressed earlier this year that profitable trips to Dundalk at the back-end helped him a great deal in 2009.
Therefore punters can look forward to another exciting tussle in the months ahead.
Richard Hughes, who joined Berry and Smullen to win last Saturday's Shergar Cup for Ireland – Berry was leading rider at the Ascot meeting – is the Johnny Murtagh of the British Jockeys' Championship as far as the betting is concerned.
He sits third in the layers' lists behind Paul Hanagan and Ryan Moore, boosted by the incredible run of form of horses trained by his father-in-law Richard Hannon.
A supreme stylist, Hughes seems to be performing better since splitting with Prince Khalid Abdullah, with whom he had a retainer, in 2007.
He had taken over in the famous green, white and pink silks on the retirement of Pat Eddery.
Hanagan is an odds-on shot to dethrone champ Moore and claim his first riders' title, though the frenetic pace he is setting is having an effect.
After booting home four winners at Musselburgh on Friday, the northerner had to take the rest of the weekend off as he was feeling unwell.
Moore isn't being discounted by any sensible observer. It's surely only a matter of time until Michael Stoute's horses return to their best, leaving Moore with plenty of ammunition for the autumn.
Winners
SOME trainers from the region were among the winners as the Ladbrokes. com Irish Derby got underway.
In Thursday's opening session Clogherhead's Craig Kelly sent out Westmead Logan for an impressive 29.89 run.
The following night the John ' Ginger' McGee-conditioned Frisky Fantasy proved a jackpot buster as she came home well clear in 29.84.
Drogheda owner Rita Downey's Monleek Bay landed a few nice bets on Saturday as he made all the running to stop the clock in 29.85.
The second round takes place over next Thursday and Saturday.
- Francis CARROLL
