John Murtagh cemented his lead at the top of the Flat riders table when Alexander Diamond made all in the juvenile fillies maiden at Roscommon yesterday afternoon.
The front-running tactics suited the Charles O'Brien-trained youngster, who stayed on strongly inside the final furlong to beat Dixie Evans by four-and-a-half lengths. Murtagh was later just denied a double in the mile-and-a-half handicap where the Jerry O'Dwyer-ridden Truly Gold held on by a diminishing head from Celtic Blaze. 'Jerry gave him a great ride, and he kept to the inside all the way round,' said trainer Michael Halford before adding, 'Truly Gold jumps hurdles well, and also handles a cut in the ground.'
Murtagh is now on the 65 winner mark for the campaign, three ahead of Michael Kinane, and six clear of Pat Smullen.
Kevin Manning and Jim Bolger teamed up to take the other Flat race on this mixed card, the ten furlong maiden, when Ceol Na Sraide struck the front inside the final quarter mile to beat Legion Of Honour by two-and-a-half lengths. 'She had a break over the summer, and hopefully will develop into a nice filly next year,' said Bolger's assistant Myles Sunderland of the half-sister to Panchita.
Ruby Walsh is steadily reeling in Paul Carberry at the head of the jump riders table, and he recorded a 21.5/1 double aboard Nonchalant and Hurricane Steven. Nonchalant made every yard of the running in the two mile novice hurdle and, despite a couple of mistakes, kept on well to beat the well-backed favourite Moore's Law by three lengths. 'I thought he was better than the bare form of his Tralee win where they went too slow and the ground was quite fast. The blinkers help him to concentrate, and he should get two and a half miles,' said trainer Frances Crowley, who later doubled up with Nil Desperandum in the bumper.
Walsh is just two behind his great rival in the title race after driving Hurricane Steven past Siochan on the run-in to score by one-and-a-half lengths. 'He severed a tendon two years ago, and likes some ease in the ground,' said trainer Tony Martin.
Robbie Colgan partnered his seventh winner when Stero Heights swooped late to land the two-and-a-half miles handicap hurdle. 'He'll go for a similar race at Limerick on Sunday, and deserves a break after that,' said Kilcock trainer David Broad. However the stewards were not impressed with Colgan's excessive use of the whip, and suspended him for two days (October 19-20).
Alan Magee
