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Group 3 win helps Murtagh to Gowran double

Sun 18th Sep 2016, 18:39

Pacodali and Bill LeePacodali and Bill Lee
© Photo Healy Racing

Johnny Murtagh is enjoying his best season, numerically, at present and his Pacodali rsquo;s success in the concluding Live Music After Racing Maiden at Gowan today was completing a double in the day for the trainer.

Pacodali, under Bill Lee, edged into eventual runner-up Tipstaff over a furlong out and while the stewards subsequently called an enquiry, the winning margin of a length was deemed enough for Pacodali to hold the race.

Murtagh, responsible for most of the training of 2012 Irish St Leger winner Royal Diamond before taking out a license to train in 2013, had earlier won the featured Group 3 Lavarack & Landwades Stakes with Duchess Andorra and following his latest win stated “he’s (Pacodali) a highly rated horse and we gave him a break after Ascot as he was a bit tired after that.

“I think he's a stakes horse and he'll improve fitness wise and Billy (Lee) said he could drop back a furlong and a bit of better ground would suit. He's a horse we've always thought a lot of and he's been unlucky a few times. He showed enough in the Tetrarch (Stakes) to show us he could hopefully be a stakes horse.”

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson

1st
5/1
Tote €5.80 €2.30
2nd
1L
5/2
€1.60
3rd
0.75L
1/1Fav
€1.02
4th
1.75L
8/1