Murtagh leads the way for title

Bohermeen jockey Johnny Murtagh is still well-placed to land the flat jockeys" title although it will be a difficult task for the popular Meath rider. Murtagh currently leads the table on 73, but with overseas commitments and upcoming bans to contend with, both Fran Berry (72) and Pat Smullen (71) look sure to make it an exciting finish in the coming weeks. Last year"s champion, Smullen, will no doubt be going all out to defend his title as he bids to take the laurels for the fifth occasion in his career, while Murtagh is trying to claim it for the fourth time, Berry would be lifting the crown for the first time if successful. Murtagh added to his tally of big race wins at the weekend. Trainer David Wachman added a notable Group 1 winner to his tally when sending out Bushranger to win the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on Friday. Ridden byMurtagh, the winner led just before the final furlong to get the better of Sayif and was doubling his tally at the highest level having already won the Prix Morny at Deauville. Ger Lyons was the man in form at Dundalk on Friday evening where he completed a notable treble. Keagan Latham, back in action after injury, rode a double with Palazzone in the opening juvenile maiden and Vincenzio Galilei in the concluding handicap. Emmet McNamara partnered Nice Style to success in the Breeders Cup Trial Race. 'Palazzone has been disappointing, we tried him in cheek pieces and it didn"t work, he ran in the Curragh the last day and it was a disappointing run as he doesn"t go on the soft ground,' said Lyons. 'We ran him this time with the blinkers and they seemed to work, so we"ll probably go for a similar race with him next,' he added. Dunboyne rider Padraig Beggy won the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Maiden with the 7/4 favourite Keyala. Beggy raced his mount in behind the leaders, improved to lead from over a furlong out and kept on well to hold off the efforts of Caherassdotcom. Meath trainer Aidan Howard achieved a notable first at Dundalk on Sunday. Howard won the inaugural bumper on the all-weather with Annie Go, but there was real Meath flavour to the first three home. Apart from the winner, the runner-up was ridden by Helen Mooney from Curraha, a daughter of trainer Paddy Mooney and Nina Carberry was third on Noel Meade"s 11/4 favourite Arlington House. There was a setback for the Castletown trainer last week when his jockey Niall 'Slippers" Madden sustained an injury which will keep him out of action until the end of the month. Madden sustained a leg injury following a fall from the Michael Cullen-trained Ballydowd at Tralee on Wednesday. Amateur jockey Andrew Duff has also been sidelined, for about a month, after he fractured his shoulder blade and broke his nose following a fall from Sensible Jockser in an amateur handicap hurdle at Tralee on Tuesday of last week.