Dunlop happy with Murtagh booking Ed Dunlop put the final touches to the preparation of his Investec Derby challenger Native Khan this morning. The Newmarket trainer was involved in a merry-go-round of jockeys on Monday when Kieren Fallon, the grey's intended partner at Epsom, chose Aidan O'Brien's Recital instead. With Olivier Peslier also unavailable, the ride eventually went to Johnny Murtagh. "Johnny only found out he had the ride at six o'clock on Monday night, so Native Khan did a piece of work with one of the usual work-riders, and it went very well," said Dunlop, who did not disclose whether the Irishman would have a sit on the colt before Saturday afternoon. The trainer elaborated on www.edunlop.com: "We are delighted to have Johnny on our side. He has already won the race on Sinndar, High Chaparral and Motivator, and he is a world-class jockey with a fantastic record around Epsom. "He finished third on Ouija Board in the 2004 Arc, so we know him well, and I am sure he will do a great job for us. "It was disappointing hearing Kieren had changed his mind, and I felt particularly sorry for the owners, who wanted him to ride and thought they had their man. But it's no big deal - Native Khan has run five times, and Kieren was only aboard twice. "We then went for Olivier Peslier, who rode Native Khan in the 2000 Guineas, but he has to ride for the Wertheimer brothers at Longchamp on Saturday, so had to decline. "However, getting Johnny is a real coup, and we are very happy about it."
