Double leaves Murtagh three ahead

JOHNNY Murtagh will lead reigning champion Pat Smullen 81-78 heading for the final flat meeting of the season at Leopardstown tomorrow.

Murtagh completed a fine double at Dundalk last night, gaining a last gasp victory on Paul Flynn’s Mr Red Clubs in the two-year-old claimer and following-up when Reggae Rock, second leg of a double for Ger Lyons (successful earlier with promising two-year-old debutant Piri Wango), got the better of Acushladear in the Christmas Parties At Dundalk Handicap.

Trailing by four, Smullen responded when recording a rare success for Aidan O’Brien on Justification in the concluding maiden, foiling Murtagh’s mount Ariyfa.