Murtagh in trouble at Naas Johnny Murtagh will miss the second day of Royal Ascot as well as six meetings in Ireland after getting caught out aboard the hot favourite Mirpour in the opening race at Naas this afternoon.Murtagh committed the cardinal sin of easing his mount inside the final furlong and turning certain victory into defeat, ironically aboard one of the best-backed horses of the day.He was jeered and heckled by angry punters after the 5-4 favourite was eased up and beaten three-quarters of a length by 8-1 chance Russian Comrade in the Go Racing In Kildare Handicap. The Derby-winning jockey, who had made the running on the market leader, looked round twice in the closing stages but according to his evidence did not spot Russian Comrade finishing well for apprentice Pat Cosgrave.Murtagh 'accepted full responsibility for getting beaten and admitted that, despite looking around for any challengers, he did not see the eventual winner who was racing directly behind him,' according to the official report of the inquiry.Murtagh was suspended for seven race days, starting on Wednesday week, and forfeited his riding fee to become the second top-class rider to commit the gaffe in eight days.The previous Monday Paul Carberry eased up on another favourite Heart Midoltian and was caught on the line in a hurdle race at Kilbeggan. An hour after the Murtagh incident the lone British raider Rag Top took the 80,000 euro Swordlestown Stud Sprint Stakes in the hands of Dane O`Neill for the Richard Hannon stable.The 2-1 favourite broke well and disputed the lead most of the way before quickening nicely to remain unbeaten after three outings inside a month. Jointly owned by Fergus Jones and Bill Durkan, the daughter of Barathea could now go for the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot according to the trainer`s son Richard.'We were worried that the ground and trip might not be in her favour, but she did it well and the Queen Mary is a definite possibility now as she takes her racing well,' said Hannon junior.'The idea was for Dane O`Neill to take his time, but nobody was keen to go on and considering she was there all the way and is not the best mover in the world the ease in the ground may have helped.'O`Neill, riding at Naas for the first time, commented: 'She wanted a lead ideally, but she broke well and quickened up nicely when they came to challenge us.'The second favourite Luminata was a persistent challenger from half way but could not up the tempo when O`Neill got serious with his mount and the runner-up`s stablemate Tus Match (33-1) finished strongly for the trainer Jim Bolger in the hands of young David Moran.The Bill Whitehead Memorial Maiden produced a wide-margin winner as Irresistible Jewel opened her account in the hands of champion Pat Smullen and the Dermot Weld stable.The 3-1 winner could go for the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot or the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh before tackling the Irish Oaks.
