Murtagh booked for Khan Johnny Murtagh will ride Native Khan in the Investec Derby at Epsom on Saturday. Already three times a winner of the premier Classic, Murtagh had been linked with Ed Dunlop's colt following Kieren Fallon's decision to side with the Aidan O'Brien-trained Recital. Dunlop had approached Olivier Peslier, who partnered Native Khan into third place in the 2000 Guineas, but the French veteran has been retained by the Wertheimer brothers to ride at Longchamp on the same afternoon. Dunlop confirmed to www.guardian.co.uk: "We've got a very able deputy in Johnny Murtagh who is an outstanding jockey around Epsom and I'm very happy with that. "It's not as big a deal as it will probably be made out to be Dunlop had said earlier: "Obviously I'm disappointed for the clients who specifically wanted Kieren, but the enticement of the great Ballydoyle battleship steered him towards their horse. "The horse is very well. We must not forget he has run five times and Fallon has actually only ridden him twice." The Aga Khan-retained Murtagh had neither confirmed nor denied speculation when approached at Ballinrobe on Monday evening. He did, however, reveal to be "in the running" to ride in the mile-and-a-half showpiece at the Surrey venue. "I have to speak to the Aga Khan first and I won't be saying anything until Tuesday," said Murtagh, who rode Dunlop's mighty Ouija Board in the 2004 Arc.
