JOHNNY Murtagh’s horses continue their good run of form and the Curragh-based trainer can look forward to having his first runner in America in a few weeks time, when True Valour takes his chance in a valuable stakes race at Del Mar.
“Our horses are in good form and they have been running consistently well all season,” Murtagh said. “That’s all that you can ask of them and we have a great team here. We have the best of owners and have great staff, but we are missing Valerie Keatley (head girl) a lot. She was here last week and it was great to see her up and about.”
Keatley suffered a bad fall when riding out just under a month ago and was treated for concussion in Naas hospital.
Murtagh added: “She’ll be out for a while, but she is a very important member of the team here and it is great to see that she is on the mend. We are missing her, but the lads here have been doing a great job and I can’t speak highly enough of them.
“We have a lot more two-year olds this year and we are still trying to sort them out. Two-year-old races are very competitive in Ireland and you really need an above average horse to win one over here.
“The ground has been very quick lately but we have still been running plenty as the tracks have been doing the best they can.
“We also do have a few nice horses that we’ve had to be patient with, as some of them need an ease in the ground.”
ADMIRALITY
4yo b g (42-68022)
Mount Nelson - Dialma
JP Murtagh Racing
He is a good work horse and leads all the work at home. He has gone close to winning on each of his two previous runs, at Roscommon and at Down Royal. He looks competitive off his current mark and hopefully he’ll win a handicap before the season is out.
AJMERA
3yo b f (637)
Canford Cliffs - Cosenza
Mrs Maura O’Sullivan
I thought she’d be competitive in a maiden and she has done okay on all three of her starts. She needs a cut in the ground so as soon as the rain arrives she’ll be ready to go again. Five or six furlongs is what she wants.
BABA BOOM
3yo ch c (075-211)
Thewayyouare - Voom Voom
Fitzwilliam Racing
He has grown and developed this season. He has won his last two now and he is a horse that we like. I was surprised that we didn’t get a few calls from the jumping lads after he won last Sunday at Fairyhouse. He’ll go to Galway for the three-year-old mile and a half handicap on the Monday next. He is fine, big horse that has put on weight and is only starting to fill out his frame now. He worked on soft ground in the spring and while he has won on good fast ground, he doesn’t need it and I think he’ll go any ground.
BEACH WEDDING
3yo b f (3510-6116)
Footstepsinthesand - Lovers Peace
Mrs Wendy O’Leary
She is a nice filly that has won two for us this season and I’d love to sneak a bit of blacktype for her. She ran into a good one in the Ulster Oaks (Kalaxana) and she is after running twice on fast ground in a short space of time, so we’ll wait for a little ease in the surface before she runs again. She is a nice filly and is rated 85 now and we’ll freshen her up for the autumn.
CHAMPAGNE MARENGO
2yo b c (965)
Battle Of Marengo - Sidney Girl
Champagne Charlies Racing Club
I was a bit disappointed with him last week at Chepstow after a good run at Roscommon. He is a big horse and he might take a bit more time. We’ll look for another maiden for him, but whatever he does this year, he will improve and be a better horse next season.
CIRCLING MOON
4yo b g (09-01161)
Lope De Vega - Jebel Musa
Patrick J Woods
He is thriving at the minute and he has improved as we have stepped him up in distance, having won three of his last four. He relaxes early on which gives him a chance to get a mile and six/ two miles. His owner Paddy Woods will ride him in the Corinthian Challenge at the Curragh on Oaks weekend.
CRUELLA DOVIL
2yo gr f (605)
Clodovil - Pale Light
Fitzwilliam Racing 2018
I thought she ran a nice race in a good maiden the last day at Naas (won by Lethal Promise). She has a mark now (66) and I’d like to think that she can be competitive off that.
DANCING MOUNTAIN
2yo b f (77)
Kodiac - Pearl Mountain
Fitzwilliam Racing 2018
She runs today in the five-furlong Foran Equine Irish EBF Fillies Auction Maiden at Navan. She is tall and is still a bit weak, but she likes good fast ground so I was keen to get her out soon. She is a five or six-furlong filly.
DANDY BELLE
2yo b f (85)
Dandy Man - Jeunesse Doree
Equine XI Syndicate
I was delighted with the way she ran the other day at Naas (fifth to Sparkle’n’joy) and she has improved from her first run at the Curragh where she ran well enough. She’ll go for another one of those auction maidens.
EARLY STRIKE
2yo ch g (07)
Dawn Approach - Buille Cliste
Anthony Paul Smurfit & Samuel M Mencoff & Dr Michael Smurfit
He disappointed us the last day at Limerick, but he has been gelded since and we’ll get him back for the back end of the season. Hopefully he’ll be competitive in nurseries.
GOLDEN SPELL
3yo b f (32-51245)
Al Kazeem - Cross Pattee
Qatar Racing Limited
She ran a fair race in third over five furlongs at Dundalk on Thursday. I’d love to try to win a listed race with her. She is rated 97 on the all-weather so she has to improve a bit to do so, but she is very tough and consistent. Five or six suits her well – it doesn’t matter and she is fast. The ground isn’t an issue for her.
KARANNELLE
3yo b f (744)
Nathaniel - Dance Lively
David Bobbett
She ran well in maidens and she has a rating of 69 now. Her owners are keen to go to Galway with her. There is a race for her there on Friday and ‘Galway ground’ should suit her fine.
HIELLA
2yo br f (0)
Society Rock - Quiza
J P Murtagh
She ran at Naas last week, but she didn’t appear to like the firm ground, so we’ll wait for a little ease in the ground before she runs again.
LETHAL POWER
3yo b c (056-2414)
Acclamation - Land Army
F Ryan
He won at Thursday at Leopardstown dropping back to a mile and the strong pace suited him. He is still learning and he may not have got home at the Curragh.
We think he’s a nice horse and I think he’ll improve next year. He is a very sound, correct horse and is learning all the time. He handles most types of ground and he has developed into a solid and consistent horse.
LIGHTENING QUICK
3yo b f (18-164)
Frankel - Lightening Pearl
Qatar Racing Limited
She ran well the other day and I thought she was going to finish second at the weekend at Fairyhouse, but she may have found the ground too quick. We think she is a decent filly and there is a good day in her, but she won’t run again on ground with firm in the description. Seven or a mile seems to fine for her and I think she’ll handle any ground bar extremes. She is very much like her mother, as all she wants to do is please you and she gives you everything. The long-term plan for her is the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown, but I’d like to find something for her before then. The key to her is to get her to relax early.
MACHIAVELLI
3yo b g (564-34422)
Leroidesanimaux - Kleio
Fitzwilliam Racing
He has been a bit frustrating as I thought he’d have won before now. He is on that tricky rating off 75, but I’d be pretty sure that he’ll win a race or two for us before the end of the season. Like a few of them, he wouldn’t like fast ground and anywhere from a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half will be fine for him.
MR COLDSTONE
2yo b c (50)
Tamayuz - Dance Lively
David Bobbett
He has run a couple of times and he performed a little bit better at Gowran Park the last day. We’ll get him out again reasonably soon and see where he fits in.
NEAR KETTERING
4yo ch g (5946-921)
Medicean - Where’s Broughton
Paul McKeon
He did well to win at Limerick. He’ll have to step up again now into a better grade, but I think he is capable of more. He had two runs on quick ground, so we have backed off him a bit and we’ll have him back for August/September.
PARKERS HILL
2yo ch c (41)
No Nay Never - Chiarezza
Paul Smith
He won his maiden well at Leopardstown and he’ll go for the Tyros Stakes. He had a lovely first run at Naas and didn’t surprise me when he went on to win second time out, but I won’t run him again on firm ground. He is a big horse and whatever he does this season will be a bonus as I think he’ll make a lovely three-year-old. His work has improved and I thought he’d be fighting out the finish the last day. Niall loved this lad the first day he ran at Naas.
PROSECUTION
4yo b g (248-2272)
Lawman - Convention
Paul McKeon
He went up a bit for finishing second a couple of times earlier in the season and in that regard, it has been a bit frustrating and he disappointed us a bit on his most recent run at Sligo. He likes a cut in the ground and we’ll try and find a race for him at Galway. I think he’ll like it down there and a mile is a good trip for him.
The Curragh has been the key to Shore Step (green) this season Photo: carolinenorris.ie
SHORE STEP
8yo br g (634-0116)
Footstepsinthesand - Chatham Islands
JP Murtagh Racing
He has been a revelation of late and six furlongs up the Curragh seems to suit him. He is a tough, reliable handicapper and I think the Curragh is the key to him. I’d like to think that he can win a couple more before the season is over and although he has won fast ground, he doesn’t need it.
SIRJACK THOMAS
3yo gr c (62192-41)
Fast Company - Veliyka
Qatar Racing Limited
He won well the last day at Sligo and he is ready to go again. We are just waiting on the rain for him. He doesn’t need it soft, but he won’t run when it’s firm. He is a nice, progressive horse and I think seven or a mile will suit him. He is not slow – Colin Keane said after he won on him the last day that he has plenty of pace. He has settled in well. He was a nice horse last year and the ground was perfect for him at Sligo (good to yielding).
SO FAMILIAR
2yo ch f (05)
Zoffany - Tempura
Fitzwilliam Racing 2018
I was happy with her run the last day when finished fifth at Fairyhouse. Hopefully she can keep coming forward. She is one for handicaps.
TOUGH SPIRIT
3yo ch f (66)
Iffraaj - One Spirit
Miss A H Marshall
I was delighted with her first run at Gowran Park but she disappointed the last day at Leopardstown and we’ll wait now for the rain to arrive before she runs again. I thought she was capable of winning a maiden and she is a nice filly. We’ll just be patient with her.
True Valour is bound for Del Mar to go for a Group 2 Photo: Healy Racing
TRUE VALOUR
4yo b c (1927-331)
Kodiac - Sutton Veny
Qatar Racing Limited
He’ll go to Del Mar for the Eddie Read handicap. It’s a Grade 2 on grass and the plan, I’d imagine, is that he’ll stay over there to try to win a Grade 1. He has been a very tough and consistent horse that has really matured this season. He was good in the Ballycorus Stakes the last day at Leopardstown and he deserved to win a good race like that. He is a pleasure to train and the aim is to try to win a Group 1 with him. He came to me from the breeze-up sales and he was a bit edgy, but he has relaxed and has gone a bit the other way now and I have no doubt that there is more to come from him. He is the kind of horse we need.
Urban Beat has won both of his starts this season Photo: Healy Racing
URBAN BEAT
3yo b c (0-11)
Red Jazz - Closetocrazy
Fitzwilliam Racing
He has developed into a very good horse for us and I have just been waiting for the ground to ease a little bit before he runs again.
He has won his two starts this season and I think, he’ll develop into a stakes horse. I was tempted to run him in a three-runner race at Naas at the weekend, but we have been very patient with this lad, so we said no.
The Scurry Handicap is an option for him. We just need a drop of rain to arrive – he doesn’t want it heavy, but I won’t run him on the ground the way it is at the minute. We are training him like a sprinter now. I think there is more to come from this lad.
URBAN LIGHT
2yo b c (453)
Moohaajim - Pandoras Secret
Fitzwilliam Racing 2018
He was third to a good horse at Listowel on his most recent start and I’d say he’ll go down the nursery route. He might go to the Curragh for the nursery on Oaks weekend, but in saying that he might go back for a maiden. He handles fast ground and seven or a mile will be fine for him.
WOLFOFMOUNTSTREET
2yo b g (560)
Sir Percy - Bright Girl
Fitzwilliam Racing 2018
He hasn’t shown much to date, but he has been gelded since his last run and he might be one for nurseries later on in the year.
YOLO AGAIN
2yo b f (93104)
Toronado - Suite
Fitzwilliam Racing 2018
She won her maiden at Navan and is a sharp filly. She was unlucky not to sneak a bit of blacktype the last day at Tipperary and Niall said that she hit the line well, so she might get another furlong. She has a nice page and I’d love to get a bit of blacktype with her.