Murtagh excited by Goodwood hand

Johnny Murtagh will bid to maintain his golden run with Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore team when he heads to Glorious Goodwood.

With a thrilling success on Duke Of Marmalade in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the rider can now look forward to teaming up with the likes of dual Guineas winner Henrythenavigator and Halfway To Heaven.

The latter heads for the Blue Square Nassau Stakes, while 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace hero Henrythenavigator bids to make it four consecutive top-level mile successes with victory in the BGC Sussex Stakes.

Murtagh said: “Henry is going very well at home, he’s a class act. He loves fast ground and I think he will show everyone what he is really made of this week.

“He doesn’t lack courage either – I think all the great ones have courage.

“Like all the good ones I’ve ridden, they want to win.

“We have a very strong team going to Goodwood, Henry is probably the number one, but we have a nice bunch of horses and hopefully it will be a good week.”

Halfway To Heaven will step up to 10 furlongs after her win in the Irish 1000 Guineas last time out.

Murtagh told At The Races: “Halfway To Heaven is a filly who has had a little break and she is going well at home.

“I’m looking forward to riding her and I think a mile and a quarter won’t be much of a problem for her.”

Reflecting on the King George, Murtagh said: “I said before the race there would be no hard-luck stories. We believed we had the best horse and we just wanted a nice, even gallop.

“My horse had a lovely position and I was exactly where I wanted to be in the race. At the two marker I thought it was all over. He quickened up very well, stretched away from the field and when Papal Bull arrived beside me I was a bit surprised.

“Soon as I got my lad organised there was only going to be one winner then.

“He soon got the measure of him and going to the line he won quite well.

“Like all great horses he has the ability when everything is not going just quite right to pull it out.

“I would rate this horse as good as Dylan Thomas, if not better. Youmzain was five lengths behind us last year so he would have to have improved a lot to beat me.

“He has a great will to win, he’s as good, if not better, than any horse I have ridden. When you need him, he’s there.

“He’s got guts, he relaxes and he’s got a great heart.”

O’Brien has recently heaped praise on Murtagh’s contribution to the Ballydoyle effort, which has seen 14 Group Ones head back to County Tipperary this year.

Murtagh said: “Reading what Aidan said about me is a great honour, I’m just part of a very big team. I enjoy working there, there’s a great staff, a great team.

“All I can do is do my best on any given day and by the results we have had it looks like it is working very well.

“When you are riding great horses you can go where you want (in a race). I keep it simple, I don’t go looking for these brilliant runs up the inside when I know I am on the best horse, if I come round the outside I am going to win anyway.

“There are horses you take a chance on but I play it safe. There’s a lot at stake, I keep it simple, keep it easy for the horse.”