Murtagh in pole position ahead of season finalé

Bohermeen jockey Johnny Murtagh is two winners ahead of his nearest rival, Pat Smullen, in the race for the 2011 flat jockeys' title, after the Offaly man completed a treble at Leopardstown on Sunday. Murtagh recorded a double at Dundalk on Friday night where Smullen drew a blank and the duo will renew their great rivalry at the same venues this weekend. Last year the flat championship ended on Friday 10th December at Dundalk, the flat season has finished in December since Dundalk opened in 2007. This year, however, the flat finale will revert back to its traditional conclusion when the turf racing comes to an end in Leopardstown on Sunday next. The Louth venue will now run its own Winter season with a separate Jockeys Championship from Friday 11th November until Friday 23rd March next year. Murtagh has been champion jockey on four occasions, the last time was 2009, and has enjoyed another excellent season with the domestic highlight being his first victory in the Irish St Leger at the Curragh on Mark Johnston's Jukebox Jury (dead-heated for first place). He also enjoyed success in England where he won the Epsom Oaks on the William Haggas-trained Dancing Rain and the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket on the Ger Lyons-trained Lightening Pearl. "To be champion jockey in Ireland means you have been very consistent through the year and the highlight for me would have been dead-heating in the Irish St Leger on Jukebox Jury," commented Murtagh. "That was my first win in that race and now I've won all of the classics in Ireland," he added. Smullen, the defending champion, has won the title on six occasions and his association with the Dermot Weld stable has brought numerous big-race successes. He enjoyed a fantastic Galway Festival partnering 12 winners over the seven-day meeting, a modern day record. "It's going to be difficult to peg him (Johnny Murtagh) back, I'll most certainly be giving it my best shot," stated Smullen. Custom-made perpetual Irish silver trophies that have been produced especially for Horse Racing Ireland will be presented at Leopardstown next Sunday. Murtagh's double at Dundalk was for Curragh-based trainer Michael Halford with Eatern Rules and Katherine Lee.