Love-Ly Evening For Murtagh

Johnny Murtagh continued his rich vein of form with a double at Bellewstown this evening.

The highlight of the brace came in the feature Castleview Homes Handicap, where he gave The God Of Love a sparkling ride to claim the spoils.

Sent off at 6-1 in the mile contest, the Ger Lyons-trained four-year-old was there to be shot at turning for home as Miss Gorica and Peculiar Prince loomed large on his outside.

But Murtagh somehow galvanised his mount and got back up to see off Peculiar Prince by a neck, with 7-2 favourite Miss Gorica only third.

Lyons was at Doncaster Sales, but his brother Shane said: 'The plan was always to run here once he was balloted out of Dundalk last Sunday.

'He needs good ground and we were very confident this evening. He'll make a proper jumper one day.'

Murtagh initiated his double when 11-4 favourite Fields Of Green absolutely hacked up in division one of the Ulster Bank N.E. Business Centre Handicap for for Michael Halford.

Ruby Walsh produced a fine ride to get the tricky Paramount's nose in front in the Track Bookmakers Hurdle.

The 7-1 shot, trained by Walsh's father Ted, was twirling his tail like a windmill around the picturesque County Meath track but his jockey held on to him as long as possible to edge out Salford City by one and a half lengths.

Casablanca Jewel (7-2) had finished behind several of her rivals in the Tally Ho Stud Auction Maiden when sent off favourite for a race at the Galway Festival.

However, she put things right here and while the juvenile is rather unlikely to be one of the stars of David Wachman's yard, she was always prominent around the tight circuit for Wayne Lordan and quickened well clear in the final straight.

She came home three-quarters of a length clear of Hebridean, who got going far too late.

? PA Sport