The Horse racing thread

[the greatest jockey]

mourad's a nr today, for me big zeb, jumbo rio, ninetieth minute and prima vista look the picks

[bridge fan]

tom horn in the last at navan

[Donnellys Hollow]

Looks like Paul Carberry might be joining Ruby on the sidelines for a while.

[OverTheBlackSpot]

Looks like Paul Carberry might be joining Ruby on the sidelines for a while.

looked a bad fall alright, them jockeys are tough cookies all the same. Its a hard living, seeing soccer players rolling round the field and these boys falling 5 or 6 feet and getting right back up.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Noel Meade must have walked under a few ladders on Friday. He must have used up his quota of bad luck for the season in the space of two days - Pandorama, Jetson, Aitmatov and now Prima Vista.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Staying Article runs in the second race down at Limerick tomorrow.

I couldn't get over how easily this horse beat some very fancied runners in his bumper and it will be very interesting to see how he takes to timber.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Limerick rained off. Hopefully Staying Article will take his chance at Naas on Wednesday instead.

Anyone else doing the Ten To Follow? Been mulling over mine all weekend. Eventually settled on:

List 1:
1036 Big Bucks
1039 Binocular
1052 Captain Cee Bee
1080 Cue Card
1117 Finians Rainbow
1180 Kauto Star
1199 Mad Max
1222 Mikael D'Haguenet
1264 Pandorama
1332 Solwhit

List 2:
1036 Big Bucks
1038 Big Zeb
1039 Binocular
1080 Cue Card
1161 Imperial Commander
1264 Pandorama
1290 Quel Esprit
1301 Reve De Sivola
1321 Shinrock Paddy
1332 Solwhit

[bcarrier]

I'll be back in 12 weeks says Ruby

http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=racing/10/11/08/manual_134141.html

and Murtagh splits with Ballydoyle

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/murtagh-splits-with-ballydoyle/787188/top/

amidst back on sauce rumour mill.

[Donnellys Hollow]

No surprise really. Been coming down the tracks for the past 3-4 months.

I'd imagine Smullen will get the gig now with Gary Carroll rumoured to be in line for the job at Rosewell. Would love to see them get Peslier though. Johnny will go back riding for Mick Halford and Ger Lyons.

[Joxer]

Johnny Murtagh has quit his job as Coolmore/Ballydoyle stable jockey.

The move was officially confirmed in a statement released by his agent, Eddie Byrne, this afternoon.

It said: 'Johnny Murtagh 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/Ballydoyle next season, 2011.

Coolmore is the worldwide breeding operation behind the powerful Ballydoyle stable, for which Murtagh was the primary rider. He also rode for several other handlers who train Coomore-owned horses.

Murtagh guided the brilliant Yeats to two of his four victories in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, as well as enjoying multiple Classic victories on the likes of Henrythenavigator, Fame And Glory and most recently Cape Blanco in this year's Irish Derby.

The jockey's last notable success for the Coolmore operation came aboard Roderic O'Connor in the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud on October 31.


The statement added: 'He (Murtagh) would like to thank Mr Magnier, Mr Smith, Mr Tabor and Mr O'Brien for the wonderful and successful three years that we all enjoyed together and he wishes 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 train Coolmore horses, and to wish them every success next season.'

There had been speculation that the Meathman was on the point of quitting with suggestions that a top jockey in the UK had already been offered the post but had turned it down.

Pat Smullen, currently stable jockey for Dermot Weld, is now considered the most likely man to take Murtagh's place.

William Buick, Christophe Soumillon, Colm O'Donoghue and Ryan Moore are among those who have been linked with the job while it has also been speculated that Kieren Fallon could make a return to the job.

Joseph O'Brien, son of trainer Aidan, has also been riding more of Ballydoyle's first string this season.

Murtagh has been the retained jockey at Ballydoyle since 2008, when he replaced Fallon.
___________________________________________________________________-


Anyone know the real reason why he is leaving?  Is it just because he was been undermined?  Had heard a couple of months ago that there was unrest.  DH,  any insights?

[Donnellys Hollow]

He hasn't been riding out down there since the start of the summer. I don't know if Johnny is back boozing or not. He's always been a bit of a free spirit so maybe he's fed up of the bullsh1t that goes with the Ballydoyle job. He's settled on the Curragh so it could be that he just fancies the quiet life riding out down the road at Halford's yard.

[beer baron]

From what i hear he's not back on the sauce just fed up with the crap that goes with the job!Supposedly Smullen's not interested and Soumillion has a job in France and Berry's unlikely to leave Oxx,who else is available and has the ability?Fallon hardly make a comeback?

[Donnellys Hollow]

Nah it won't be Fallon. He burned his bridges there big time and hasn't been riding well since his comeback anyway.

I think Coolmore will play it fairly safe with there next choice so I doubt it'll be a loose cannon like Soumillon or Gomez. Richard Hughes might be reluctant to leave Hannon's given that he's married to his daughter but it'd be great if Ballydoyle could entice him home. Jimmy Fortune or Wayne Lordan would be two dark horses I'd put up. Aidan's always been a big fan of Fortune (gave him the spare on Rip Van Winkle in the Eclipse) and he's not attached to a big yard since John Gosden got rid of him for Buick. Lordan has ridden plenty of winners for Coolmore for David Wachman and Tommy Stack.

It's Smullen's if he wants it but I'm sure he'd find it hard to leave Rosewell. He has strong family connections to Aidan though.

[beer baron]

Michael o hare has a few runners in Sedgefield tomorrow and Andrew Lynch is riding,could be worth checking in the market!

[Minder]

When there are five runners is it the first two for placepot?