I did a calculation last week and in my opinion Murtagh is likely to miss at least another 9 meetings in Ireland due to committments abroad.Factor in the chances of injury and/or suspension and he is definitely odds aganst.
I did a calculation last week and in my opinion Murtagh is likely to miss at least another 9 meetings in Ireland due to committments abroad.Factor in the chances of injury and/or suspension and he is definitely odds aganst.
7 day ban for Murtagh. Championship is surely Berry's now.
Berry edges ahead
Racing Post staff
FRAN BERRY and Pat Smullen edged ahead of the banned Johnny Murtagh at Dundalk on Friday evening to lead the Ballydoyle man by one in the race for the Irish jockeys' championship.
Berry took is tally to 74 with success on Dilinata in the two-year-old maiden while Smullen joined him on that mark by securing successes on Bobs Pride andHanicor in the final two races of the card.
Murtagh trails the two by one on 73.
A few extra fixtures (replacements) announced today...including the Curragh.
Berry 5/4
Smullen 7/4
Murtagh 9/4
I suspect these odds reflect liabilities on Berry more than his actual chances of winning. The other two are in there with as good a chance.
Berry could do with an agent (does he have one?) to help pick and choose his rides. He seems to accept the first booking offered. He could also do with a helping hand from the Oxx stable: perhaps Mickey Joe would let him up on the stable's first choice runners in the final weeks? I'm sure if I explained to him that I've got this bet...
Smullen now leads the race.I would be against him big time if I could lay 6-4.
Mr Murtagh is riding in the first at Tipperary tomorrow before heading to Dundalk for a strong book of rides. We'll have to put some nails on the road.
It's not the road he will be using Grey!!!
You never know, we'll put some out just in case.
Just wondering if anyone knows what date the Championship runs to?
"The religious persecution of the ages has been done under what was claimed to be the command of God. I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do to their fellows, because it always coincides
with their own desires" -- Susan B. Anthony
Right up to the last Dundalk meeting on December 5th.
There is talk of extending the season.
Smullen's double at Gowran yesterday means the bookies can prepare to start paying out. Six ahead of Berry, eight in front of Murtagh with about six meetings remaining. He's had a very good spell in recent weeks.
An absolute purple patch for Smullen.
As this thread illustrated, Pat Smullen has a history in the later part of the season of doing what is needed to take the Irish jockey championship. His current price of 7/4 for this year's championship looks good value to me.
He has had an indifferent enough time so far this season, and with 44 winners he is seven behind Colin Keane, who has 51. A big part of the reason, of course, has been the relatively poor form of the Weld stable, but there have been signs in the last few days that the dip in their fortunes is coming to an end, and in the coming weeks I think we will see the gap between Smullen and Keane being closed.
Last edited by Grey; 8th August 2017 at 11:55 PM.
Smullen can win the title with or without Weld-obviously Weld hitting form
would be a massive bonus.
Last edited by LUKE; 9th August 2017 at 12:09 PM.
Agreed, LUKE. By the way the price is now 11/8 from 7/4 last night!
Was much bigger at the start of last week.