RACING:JOHNNY MURTAGH brought the curtain down on a hugely successful three-year period as first jockey to the Coolmore Stud empire when he resigned from the most coveted riding job in world racing yesterday.

Murtagh’s resignation appeared to catch the Coolmore team by surprise and although Aidan O’Brien, Coolmore’s principal trainer, didn’t comment after the announcement, speculation as to who will replace Murtagh is set to be intense.

Pat Smullen has been installed as favourite to take over in some betting lists and Dermot Weld’s stable jockey has a family link to Aidan O’Brien as he is married to former trainer Frances Crowley, a sister of O’Brien’s wife, Anne-Marie.

Smullen, currently fighting it out with both Murtagh and Fran Berry for the Irish jockey’s championship, could not be contacted yesterday.

O’Brien and Murtagh had steadfastly refused to comment over the last three months on rumours that the 40-year-old jockey was set to be replaced for 2011 but that speculation intensified during the Breeders’ Cup meeting in Kentucky last week.

Yesterday afternoon Murtagh took the initiative and a statement issued on his behalf said: “Johnny has spoken to Mr John Magnier, Mr Derrick Smith, Mr Michael Tabor and Mr Aidan O’Brien today and informed them that he will not be renewing his contract to ride as stable jockey to Coolmore and Ballydoyle next season, 2011.

“He would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Magnier, Mr Smith, Mr Tabor and Mr O’Brien for the wonderful and successful three years that they had together and wish all of them and their families every success in the future. He would also like to thank Mr David Wachman, Mr Charles O’Brien and Mr Tommy Stack, who also trained Coolmore horses, and again wish them every success next season.”

Murtagh was unavailable for further comment last night but it is believed he will continue his riding career in 2011. The Co Meath native has been plagued with weight problems throughout his career and has also fought a battle with alcoholism.

Just nine days ago, Murtagh rode the O’Brien-trained Roderic O’Connor to Group One success in the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud in France, the last top-flight winner he would ride as Coolmore number one.

Reports of a strain in the relationship between Murtagh and O’Brien had increased in recent months with some speculation that it was at least partially linked to the trainer’s son, Joseph, getting put up on horses ahead of the stable jockey.

Joseph O’Brien is pursuing the apprentice jockeys’ title with the Irish season due to close on December 10th and the champion trainer maintained that increasing weight meant this might be his son’s only chance to win the apprentice crown and so in the circumstances he was being given opportunities that otherwise would have been Murtagh’s.

This season has still been another successful year for the rider whose list of top-flight winners include Cape Blanco in the Irish Derby and the star sprinter, Starspangledbanner.

However, bookmakers appear to believe his old rival, Smullen, will take over the hot seat at Ballydoyle with firms making him a 6 to 4 favourite ahead of a host of top-class international names including Kieren Fallon, who Murtagh took over from in early 2008.

“Pat is on the verge of a sixth Irish jockeys’ title so he was always going to be among the front runners for the job,” Paddy Power said yesterday.

PADDY POWER BETTING: 6-4 Pat Smullen, 5-2 Chrisophe Soumillon, 4 Kieren Fallon, 6 Colm O’Donoghue, Ryan Moore, 8 William Buick, Olivier Peslier, 10 Richard Hughes, 12 Fran Berry, 14 others.

Johnny Murtagh’s Group One victories for Coolmore, 2008-10

2008: Henrythenavigator (English 2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes), Duke Of Marmalade (Tattersalls Gold Cup, Juddmonte International, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, Prix Ganay), Yeats (Ascot Gold Cup, Prix Royal Oak), Mastercraftsman (National Stakes, Phoenix Stakes), Moonstone (Irish Oaks), Fame And Glory (Criterium de Saint-Cloud), Bushranger (Prix Morny, Middle Park Stakes), Soldier Of Fortune (Coronation Cup), Mount Nelson (Eclipse Stakes), Halfway To Heaven (Nassau Stakes), Haradasun (Queen Anne Stakes).

2009: Mastercraftsman (Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes), Fame And Glory (Irish Derby), Again (Irish 1,000 Guineas), Alfred Nobel (Phoenix Stakes), Yeats (Gold Cup), Rip Van Winkle (Sussex Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes), St Nicholas Abbey (Racing Post Trophy).

2010: Lillie Langtry (Matron Stakes, Coronation Stakes), Fame And Glory (Tattersalls Gold Cup, Coronation Cup), Starspangledbanner (July Cup, Golden Jubilee Stakes), Rip Van Winkle (Juddmonte International), Zoffany (Phoenix Stakes), Roderic O’Connor (Criterium-International), Misty For Me (Prix Marcel Boussac), Cape Blanco (Irish Derby, Irish Champion Stakes).