Bear shines in Murtagh treble

Johnny Murtagh can do no wrong at present and fresh from picking up the top jockey award at Glorious Goodwood last week he was in treble form at Naas on Monday.

Murtagh won on 11-4 favourite Harriers Call in the Naas Handicap for John Hayden, 2-1 favourite Festival Princess for his old friend Mick Halford, and red-hot 2-7 favourite Black Bear Island for his Ballydoyle bosses in the Coolmore Aussie Rules EBF Maiden.

And it was the victory of the latter which had the bookies purring as the full-brother to High Chaparral was slashed in price for the 2009 Epsom Derby.

In winning by four lengths, Aidan O’Brien’s colt was emulating his sibling, who also suffered defeat on his first start only to score at the second attempt.

Connections will be hoping he can do the same as High Chaparral who went on a six-race winning streak thereafter, culminating in and English and Irish Derby double.

He was cut to 25-1 from 50s by VC Bet, and introduced into the betting at 20-1 by Stan James.

“High Chaparral broke the heart of stablemate Hawk Wing when winning the Epsom Classic in 2002 and Black Bear Island certainly looked a colt of some potential when landing the odds this afternoon,” said Stan James head of PR Charlie McCann.

“He is in many of the big end-of-season races and it would be no surprise if the Racing Post Trophy was in the back of Aidan O’Brien’s mind for Doncaster in the autumn.”