Review leopardstown 6th Nov

Johnny Murtagh was crowned champion jockey after pulling clear of title rival Pat Smullen with a double on the last day of the season at Leopardstown.

Murtagh virtually confirmed his championship win when guiding Takar to victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C & G) Maiden.

John Oxx's 11-4 favourite was always well placed and when Murtagh gave him his office, he pulled eight lengths clear of Place Vendome .

Murtagh was shown at his strongest when getting Call To Battle home in the Listed Eyrefield Stakes.

Oxx's 7-2 chance travelled nicely into contention on the home straight, but Murtagh had to get serious on the stoutly-bred juvenile to deny Alla Speranza by half a length.

Murtagh's title victory was confirmed when Smullen's mount Coolnagree could not fend off the late challenge of 5-2 favourite Backbench Blues in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Nursery.

Smullen gained some compensation in the Leopardstown November Handicap as Hidden Universe (7-2) completed a double for Dermot Weld when getting up late to beat Pozyc by three-quarters of a length.

Weld sent a quartet of runners for the Knockaire Stakes and Enchanted Evening (16-1) obliged for the master of Rosewell House when finishing fast under Pat Shanahan to beat Shirley Blake by a length and a quarter.

Weld's top weight Unaccompanied put up a brave battle in the Book Online For Christmas Handicap, but had no answer to the finishing kick of Jim Bolger's Tobar Na Gaoise (10-1), who kicked two lengths clear under Kevin Manning.

Twirl was an impressive all-the-way winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

Sent straight to the front by Seamie Heffernan, the 10-11 favourite was not hard pressed in the home straight as she stretched six and a half lengths clear of Maude Adams .

First Lieutenant ran out a bloodless winner of the Grade 3 Dial-a-Bet 1800 721 821 EBF Novice Chase at Cork, giving Davy Russell a graded-race double after Sword Of Destiny scored over timber earlier on the card.