Murtagh back in business with double

JOHNNY MURTAGH registered his first successes since being crowned champion jockey for the fifth time earlier this month when doubling-up on Fantasy King and Maggie Neary at Dundalk last night.

Murtagh oozed confidence on the Charles O’Brien-trained favourite Fantasy King in the two-mile Winter Racing At Dundalk Handicap before switching the five-year-old to challenge with less than two furlongs to race and quickly seizing the initiative before beating Talenti by a length and a quarter.

Gerry Abbott, representing trainer O’Brien, commented: “He was terribly unlucky here last time and Johnny was keen to fill him with confidence and hold onto him for as long as possible. He won well and might go hurdling now.”