Double keeps Murtagh’s slim title hopes alive
On a night when each of the protagonists in the race for the apprentice crowm was on the mark, with Jospeh’s O’Brien registering a double, Murtagh kicked-off when making all on Imperial Rome in the second division of the one mile two-year-old maiden.
Murtagh dictated the pace on the son of Holy Roman Emperor and, gradually winding up the tempo from the two furlong-pole, always had the measure of promising debutant Narjawa, ironically owned by the Aga Khan, for whom he’ll ride next season, with the even-money favourite Long Live The King (Joseph O’Brien) finishing third, without being able to deliver a realistic challenge.
Owned by Sue Magnier, Imperial Rome is trained by David Wachman. Murtagh commented: “He travelled and picked up nicely and he’ll make a nice staying three-year-old next season.”
Murtagh completed his double when 6/4 favourite Herostatus continued Mark Johnston’s tremendous strike-rate at Dundalk in the two-mile Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Handicap.
Blinkered for the first time, Herostatus set sail for home off the home-turn and stayed on strongly to beat Hawk Flight emphatically by four lengths. “He’s massive for a three-year-old and, like most of the Johnston horses, got his head down and got on with it,” said Murtagh.
Smullen replied in the concluding Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Package Handicap when Hawa Bali, completing a double for Curragh trainer Paul Deegan, saw off favourite Night Glimmer.
Joseph O’Brien, back after a lengthy period of suspension, returned with a bang when the well-backed Memphis Tennessee, a strapping Hurricane Run colt, scored a smooth success in the first division of the two-year-old maiden, prompting the winning rider to comment: “He’s still a bit green but will make a very nice colt next year.”
O’Brien completed a double when The Pianist, trained by Eddie Harty, held the late challenge of Sparring Partner (ridden by his colleague in Ballydoyle Sean Levey) and survived a Stewards Enquiry. This victory leaves O’Brien on the 35-winner mark for the season, two behind reigning champion Gary Carroll and Ben Curtis at the end of last night’s action.
Carroll had replied to O’Brien’s first win when debutant Youm Mutamiez, well-supported all day and backed from 4/1 to 5/2 on-track, bolted up in the one-mile maiden, a victory which put Carroll ahead in the title-race, at least briefly, and provided trainer Paul Deegan with the first leg of a double, completed by Hawa Bali.
Ben Curtis joined Carroll on the 37-winner mark when Crystal Belle, trained by Pat Martin, got the better of Ger Lyons’ Final; Recovery (Keagan Latham) in the nursery.
