Johnny Murtagh has few omissions in an illustrious career but a Laytown winner still eludes him, following his narrow defeat on Romeo’s On Fire in the www.angloprinters.ie Claiming Race at Laytown today.
The race was won by the gelding’s stablemate Cosmic Breeze under Keagan Latham but Murtagh, who has ridden winners at all of the Flat tracks in the country except Laytown, finished a short head and neck third, behind in third.
Afterwards Murtagh was gracious in defeat and vowed “I’ll be back next year!”
“It’s great to be here in such a unique place. I haven’t been here for four years but have had 10 or 12 rides here over the years.”
Cosmic Breeze’s trainer Ger Lyons, also trainer of Murtagh’s mount Romeo’s On Fire, himself subsequently stated “we’ve been having a very very slow time of it this summer but little fish are sweeter and I’m glad to get to the 20 winner mark for the season. Hopefully we’ll make it to 30 winners by the end of the year but we sold almost everything and have had less ammunition this year.”
