The tag of champion jockey elect looks secure on John Murtagh's shoulders after he powered home his 75th winner of the season on Hawksbury at Fairyhouse yesterday.
Murtagh has held the championship twice in his career already but the old cliche of a jockey "riding better than ever" looks appropriate.
A furlong down in yesterday's Kilmoon Maiden, Murtagh's task on the favourite looked relatively straightforward, but the pack suddenly started to descend and Hawksbury received the benefit of all Murtagh's strength in a finish.
Winning trainer Jeremy Harley commented: "It's rare that I get Johnny to ride but, if he can be got, he is worth getting! He earned his fee there."
David Hanley is currently attending the sales in Kentucky and missed out on a one-two for his yard in the Dunboyne Maiden.
Nasanice, with Eddie Ahern carrying Sheikh Hamdan's colours, led home her stable companion Kerry Belle by half a length, and Hanley's wife, Ann, commented: "That was fantastic and I couldn't believe how well Kerry Belle ran. David will be very happy. He really wanted Nasanice to win because we've done pretty well with the few we have for the Sheikh."
Dermot Weld scored a one-two of his own when Simulacrum ran out a very easy winner of the juvenile hurdle and Hamasah was an equally easy winner of the Mullinam Handicap.
The Group-placed Chateau Royal was all the rage for his first appearance over hurdles but never appeared with a chance and finished a disappointing sixth. Simulacrum, in contrast, was always going well for David Evans and will now head to Listowel.
Liam O'Flaherty, centre back on the Kerry senior football team, saw his colours carried to victory in the bumper as Native Run controlled the race all the way up the straight to beat Ted Dugal by two and a half lengths. Flaherty won ownership of the winner for two years in a raffle run by the Kerry GAA.
Permit holder Paddy Fennelly trained Dark Magic to win the maiden hurdle after a layoff, and Richard Burke partnered Regal Knight to win the Batterstown Handicap Hurdle for John Fowler.
