Murtagh six clear in title race

ON a night when Johnny Murtagh took another giant step towards regaining the Jockeys Championship, Joanna Morgan saddled Fourpenny Lane and San Sicharia to dominate the listed Cooley Fillies Stakes at Dundalk.

Murtagh completed a double to bring his seasonal tally to 91 and is now six ahead of reigning champion Pat Smullen in the title race, with only four meetings remaining. He also rode four seconds from his seven rides.

The Murtagh-ridden Fourpenny Lane, something of a course specialist, wore down her stable-companion (ridden by Kevin Manning) inside the final furlong to triumph by a half-length in the feature, recording her third win at Dundalk.