Murtagh ready to get back in the saddle
Johnny Murtagh ends a four-month absence from the saddle with his first rides at Lingfield on Thursday.
Appropriately, the Irish jockey’s opening mount will be his first as stable jockey to Newmarket trainer David Loder as he partners the six-year-old Scotty’s Future in the betdirect.co.uk New Site Selling Stakes.
The dual Derby-winning rider relinquished his position as first jockey to John Oxx at the end of last season after a campaign dogged by weight problems sparked by a fall at Royal Ascot in June.
He rides Lucayan Monarch for Newmarket trainer Phil McEntee in the betdirect.co.uk Handicap and is on the Irish-trained Luceball in the concluding Bet Direct Football Cashbacks Handicap.
Murtagh will this year focus on Britain for the first time in his career, although he intends to maintain Ireland as his home base.
