Murtagh to ride Golan Johnny Murtagh will ride Golan in Sunday week`s Japan Cup, it emerged today.He will take the place of Kieren Fallon, who is wintering in Japan but whose retainer with the horse`s trainer Sir Michael Stoute has not been renewed.A spokesperson for the stable confirmed the booking today.Murtagh, widely tipped to replace his fellow Irishman at Freemason Lodge before it was announced there would be no retained jockey, enjoyed big-race success on the Stoute-trained Kalanisi, Daliapour and Petrushka last season.Golan won the 2000 Guineas under Fallon at Newmarket in May and has since made the frame in the Vodafone Derby and Prix de l`Arc de Triomphe, as well as winning the Prix Niel at Longchamp.The three-year-old arrived safely in Japan on Monday and is currently based at the Shiroi quarantine centre.The other European challenger in the 21st running of the Stg£2.75m mile-and-a-half Japan Cup is Germany`s Paolini, trained by Andreas Wohler and set to be ridden byAndreas Suborics.The four-year-old won two Group One events in Italy in the spring and last time out was second to Mutamam in the Arlington Million in Chicago. He is set to arrive in Japan on Wednesday.Cagney, Timboroa, White Heart and With Anticipation will represent America while Indigenous, who finished second in the 1999 Japan Cup, has been invited to fly the flag for Hong Kong.A nine-strong home team includes the first two home from last year`s race, T M Opera O and Meisho Doto, plus Dubai World Cup runner-up To The Victory and Dubai Sheema Classic winner Stay Gold.German horse Aeskulap and King of Tara from France will be Europe`s first runners in the Stg£1.43m Japan Cup Dirt the previous day.
