RACING NEWS:JOHNNY MURTAGH completed a notable Classic weekend at the Curragh yesterday when Again landed the Boylesports Irish 1,000 Guineas to give trainer David Wachman a first Classic success.
If 38-year-old Wachman was obviously breaking new ground, then yesterday’s Classic was something of a novel experience for Murtagh too.
Again’s neck defeat of Lahaleeb, with Oh Goodness Me back in third, was a first victory in the race for the jockey who now only needs a Leger success to complete an Irish Classic clean-sweep.
More particularly, though, yesterday’s success – on the back of Mastercraftsman’s win in the 2,000 24 hours earlier – means Murtagh becomes just the third jockey to complete the Irish Guineas double in the same year, following in the footsteps of Joe Canty (1946) and Martin Quirke (1929.)
Despite Again starting a 5 to 2 favourite, the double didn’t look on at different stages of yesterday’s race.
The field broke up into two groups as they struggled to find the best of the heavy ground and Davy Moran’s decision to stick to the far rail on Oh Goodness Me looked like paying off at one stage.
She was eventually tagged by Lahaleeb but Murtagh steered Again from the centre of the track and despite needing plenty of persuasion from the former champion jockey the Irish favourite eventually got the better of her English rival.
“Johnny gave her a very good ride,” Wachman said afterwards.
“She’s not quirky but she does have a few little issues.”
Murtagh reported: “We were going up the middle to keep my options open and I let my filly drift across. A furlong out I knew I’d win but the ground was very testing.”
Again is now a 7 to 1 shot with Hills to land the Epsom Oaks and although Wachman has no concerns about the trip, the English Classic may come too soon.
“It’s only 12 days away which is not ideal. We will see. She’s a very well-balanced filly. She has all the options: Epsom, the Coronation or the Pretty Polly, all at different distances,” he said.
Yesterday’s Guineas was the 10th Irish Classic in a row won by the all-powerful Coolmore empire.
Dermot Weld recorded a one-two in the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup, saddling Casual Conquest to get the better of his stable companion Famous Name in a five-and-a-half-length rout.
Pat Smullen grabbed the initiative from the start and made all the running to have Weld dreaming of Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe glory in October.
“I’ve always thought of the Arc as a target and the Irish Champion Stakes looks the obvious race before it.
“We might give him the summer off and train him for the autumn,” the local trainer said.
“My worry today was the ground but he’s a very good horse.”
Bookmaker reaction was to install Casual Conquest as a 16 to 1 shot for Longhcamp.
Aidan O’Brien might have seen his Irish Classic run come to an end but he did supply Murtagh with the third leg of a treble on the day as Grand Ducal wore down the favourite Alaivan by a head in the Gallinule Stakes.
“He should get a mile and a quarter, maybe a mile and a half, so there are plenty of races open to him,” O’Brien said.
Alshahbaa is a 14 to 1 in some lists for the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot after a four-length debut success in the six-furlong maiden.
