Loder wants ‘Cantona magic’ from Murtagh
Loder, who this season is training without the full force of Sheikh Mohammed behind him, celebrated a winner at Lingfield yesterday.
On the subject of Murtagh, he told attheraces: “The most important thing is not what the trainer thinks, but what the owners want.
“When it became obvious that Jamie (Spencer) was going to Ballydoyle and that Frankie (Dettori) would be busier with Godolphin than he has been, it seemed important to me that we had a regular top-class jockey who was available to ride the horses should the owners wish.
“After discussing it with the owners, Johnny was in the hat, and Darryll (Holland), who is very good and has ridden a lot of winners for me. Johnny seemed to be the obvious choice and he was the one that was most popular with the owners.
“He will be an asset to the stable and is one of the few world-class jockeys who you would be happy to have riding for you in any top-class race around the world. That can only be an advantage.
“He will be based in Ireland but will be over for most of the week when the season gets going, but there is no rush at the moment.
“Jamie doesn’t have to go off to Ballydoyle until March and Johnny has a long, hard season ahead discovering the delights of Southwell, Wolverhampton and Lingfield all-weather!
“When the grass season gets going he’ll be over here all the time, and I hope he will have a chance of challenging Kieren (Fallon) for the jockeys’ title.”
Murtagh had been retained by Curragh-based trainer John Oxx until the end of last season, but the pair parted company following the jockey’s absence from the saddle in the latter half of the season.
“Johnny’s biggest problem has always been his weight because he is quite a well-built chap for a jockey,” Loder explained.
“After he got injured at Ascot last year it became quite a problem for him because he couldn’t do the exercise regime that he was used to.
“That injury is now better and Johnny is very keen to do well in the coming year. With riding here regularly through the week, he’ll be riding more than he was in Ireland, which will make his weight a lot easier.”
Loder has 150 horses in training at his newly acquired Egerton Stud, having previously been based at the Godolphin Stables under his five-year-contract with Sheikh Mohammed.
“We have been very pleased with the horses as we have been getting them ready in the last month and my new yard and facilities have been very good,” he commented.
“The most important thing is to get into your tried and tested routine, which we have been able to do, and the horses have seemed in good shape.
“The horses seem to enjoy going up there and have got fitter quicker than they would do on Warren Hill, for instance.”
