JOHNNY MURTAGH took a giant step towards clinching a fifth Jockeys Championship when completing a double for Michael Halford, on Katherine Lee and Eastern Rules, at Dundalk last night.

THE Aidan O’Brien-trained Wave should prove tough to beat in the Irish Stallion Farms 2-Y-0 Fillies Maiden in Dundalk tonight where 25 minute intervals between some races will be implemented as an experiment.

Adrian Maguire’s smart staying hurdler Celestial Wave has had to be put down shortly after retiring to the paddocks.

CELESTIAL WAVE, unbeaten in two starts over flights, can continue on an upward curve in the Dawn Omega Milk EBF Mares Novice Hurdle at Limerick tomorrow.

Martin Pipe is responsible for 12 of the 57 entries for the £70,000 (€101,787) Singer & Friedlander National Trial at Uttoxeter on January 31.