REIGNING champion Johnny Murtagh kept his slim chance of retaining the jockeys’ title alive with a double on Imperial Rome and Herostatus at Dundalk last night, but still trails Pat Smullen by six, 86-92, following the former champion’s win on Hawa Bali in the finale.

THE rapidly-improving Boynagh Joy proved a shock 12/1 winner of the listed Cooley Fillies Stakes at Dundalk last night.

APPRENTICE Sam James, a big-race hero in Killarney recently, took the honours in Wexford last night, completing the first double of his blossoming career on The Buck and Cristal Island, bringing his seasonal tally to seven.

WE have learned one thing for sure of late – riding arrangements for Ballydoyle-trained horses have to be treated with more than a hint of caution.

SHERCHANCEIT, trained by Mary O’Connnor at Tallow, Co Waterford, ran her rivals ragged to land the featured Dawn Milk Run Handicap Hurdle before an an excellent attendance of 4,808 at Killarney yesterday.

THE Tom Mullins trained King’s Vintage ran away with the Corcorans’ Furniture and Carpets Handicap at Killarney last night.

JIM BOLGER took the training honours at Gowran Park last night, registering a double with favourite Scandal Sheet in the featured Kilkenny Handicap and Maoi in the opening Bennettsbridge Maiden.

JIM Bolger has two shots at interrupting Aidan O’Brien’s monopoly on the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby as Puncher Clynch and Carraiglawn head for the Curragh tomorrow.

Jim Bolger has two shots at interrupting Aidan O’Brien’s monopoly on the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby as Puncher Clynch and Carraiglawn head for the Curragh on Sunday.

THE Dermot Weld bandwagon rolled on relentlessly at Limerick last night when Precious Gem, carrying the colours of his mother, Marguerite, landed the Martin Molony Stakes.

Despite defeats on three odds-on favourites, Fran Berry took the riding honours at Fairyhouse last night, recording a double on Bold Thady Quill and Sean Og Coulston in the handicap action.

JESSICA Harrington’s Blaze Brightly, who had finished second three times previously, got it right for Fran Berry in the Median Auction Maiden at Listowel yesterday.

AIDAN O’Brien defied the might of the Queen Of England when his Poet beat the royal runner, Four Winds, in the Listed Vincent O’Brien Ruby Stakes at Killarney last night.

MEGANS JOY, very disappointing in the Galway Hurdle and absent since then, came right back to her best when taking the Grade 2 Ballykisteen Hotel and Golf Resort Hurdle at Tipperary yesterday.

JOHNNY MURTAGH will partner Alessandro Volta in Sunday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

MICK MURPHY continued his rapid climb up the training ladder when saddling Cellar Door to land a gamble in the Mallow Hurdle at Cork yesterday.

DIMENTICATAA is the class act on show at Cork this afternoon in the Listed Platinum Stakes over a mile.

SHANE DONOHOE heaped praise on fellow trainer, Charlie Swan, after his Mill House Girl had slammed odds-on Telemachus in the Sean Barrett Bloodstock Insurance Ltd. Novice Hurdle at Tipperary last night.

KIEREN FALLON, suffering from a sore neck, missed Cork yesterday and was replaced aboard Beauty Bright in the opening Coolmore Stud Choisir EBF Maiden by Ballydoyle apprentice, Sean Levey.