Johnny Murtagh

6th-Navan, €25,000, Mdn, 4-26, 3yo, 10f 20yT, 2:12.85, sf. REYENZI (FR) (c, 3, Saxon Warrior {Jpn}--Reynira {Ire}, by Lope De Vega {Ire}), an encouraging second on debut over seven furlongs at Naas in September, raced in mid-division early with the pace stronger than in the preceding Group 3. Coming on strong approaching the two-furlong pole, the 6-1 shot soon had control and stayed on powerfully to score by five lengths from Vorfreude (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}). "I thought he might just need a run. He worked very nicely during the...

Have you ever fancied gaining an insight into how trainers like Jessica Harrington or Johnny Murtagh prepare their horses to win big-race riches all over the globe? Or perhaps you'd like to better understand the breeding industries and take a peek behind the scenes at some of the biggest stud farms in Ireland?  The recently-launched Horse Country, which is funded by Failte Ireland, Horse Racing Ireland and the Kildare and Tipperary County Councils, will offer such experiences to interested parties and its CEO Laura Magee spoke of her excitement about...

Paddy Twomey's squad has been bolstered by the return of one-time leading Derby prospect Deepone (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), with the trainer hinting at having assembled his strongest-ever team of horses for the year ahead.  Talented sprinter King Cuan (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) is another older horse who is reported to be back training well while Donagh O'Connor has joined the stable as second jockey behind Billy Lee. However, Twomey admitted to becoming increasingly frustrated by what he describes as 'disgraceful' levels of prize-money in Irish racing, and backed up...

The wait is almost over. With less than a month until the Flat season proper gets underway, what better time to draw up a list of under the radar runners, beginning with Brian Sheerin's nominations from Ireland. From potential Classic contenders to well-handicapped sprinters rated 76, our man in Ireland has put forward 10 horses who will hopefully prove profitable to follow this season. Giselle (Ire) Frankel (GB) filly out of Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) Form: 213 Trainer: Aidan O'Brien Giselle could be one of the most exciting...

It is plain to see that the Aga Khan Studs are in excellent hands, but the passing of His Highness the Aga Khan IV nevertheless signals the end of one of the most significant chapters in the long and storied history of Thoroughbred breeding. During his 65-year tenure at the head of the Aga Khan Studs, he presided over a prolonged period of growth, both in the stature and size of the operation, which was consolidated and expanded by the acquisition of stock from other major breeders. Those included Francois...

Wednesday's Listed Al Shira'aa Racing Irish EBF Naas Oaks Trial looked a hot contest beforehand and it proved just that as The Aga Khan unearthed another 2024 Classic contender in Hanalia (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Hanakiyya {Ire}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Settled in rear by Ben Coen early, the 16-1 shot who had taken a 10-furlong Curragh maiden last month was in the right place with the pace on up front and the pressure turned up in early straight. Launched wide to overhaul the Ger Lyons representative Bellezza (Ire) (Siyouni...

Brian Kavanagh has said that he agrees completely with Johnny Murtagh's assertion that Ireland should not be "resting on its laurels" when it comes to prize-money while Irish Racehorse Trainers Association [IRTA] chief Ryan McElligott expressed a wish that the Curragh boss's decision to up the minimum prize fund at the track to €20,000 could stir up similar change among other racecourses.  Leopardstown, Ireland's only other Group 1 Flat track, has followed the Curragh's lead in raising its basement prize-money levels to €15,000. However, leading trainers Joseph O'Brien and Ado...

Leading trainer Johnny Murtagh has identified the leading juvenile prospects that he is looking forward to unleashing this season but spoke out about the increased levels of frustration that trainers are facing when it comes to hanging on to their big-name stars due to what he describes as stagnant levels of prize-money in Ireland.  The Group 1-winning handler has called on Horse Racing Ireland, who announced a €1.4 million increase to prize-money [to €69.4 million] for 2024 in the latest budget, not to rest on its laurels.  Murtagh, who runs...

Whether you're a trainer, a pre-trainer, a breeder or just a general racing nut, it seems as though the Irish Stallion Trail was the place to be on Friday and Saturday. But how much can be gleaned from two days of stallion parades? Quite a lot, actually.  Relationships have been forged and business has been done on the Trail and luminaries of the industry Johnny Murtagh, Dick Brabazon, Guillaume Vitse and Craig McCracken were left singing the praises of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing [ITM] for what proved to be another stellar...

The Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE), which has produced luminaries of the saddle like Johnny Murtagh, Seamie Heffernan, Chris Hayes and Shane Foley, has been forced to cull two thirds of its workforce in order to save the institution's future. A massive 21 of the 31 staff have been told they are no longer needed at RACE and the decision is understood to have come as a major shock to the workforce. The 10-month residential trainee jockey course, which has also been completed by top-notch jump jockeys such...

Two of Ireland's leading jockeys--Ben Coen and Mike Sheehy--will be plying their trade in New South Wales, Australia for the next few months. Coen, who is the number one jockey for conditioner Johnny Murtagh, and last year won the G1 Irish St Leger aboard Sonnyboyliston (Ire) (Power {GB}), will spend his time in Sydney with the Chris Waller stable. "This opportunity gives me the chance to experience another style of racing," he said. "I've never ridden trackwork with times as well, so that's an experience and something you can obviously...

When you have a limited number of bullets to fire, you can't expect to hit the target too often, let alone on Irish Oaks day at the Curragh, but Ronan Fitzpatrick, racing manager to Mark Dobbin, sensed something special was in the offing on Saturday. So much so, Fitzpatrick, full sure that either Cairde Go Deo (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) or Ladies Church (GB) (Churchill {Ire}) were going to do something special this weekend, had worked himself into a tizzy about doing a post-race interview with RTE's Brian Gleeson. He needn't...