Hasta la vista, baby

[my miss storm cat]

Murtagh and Ballydoyle go separate ways

By racingpost.com staff
3:02PM 8 NOV 2010

JOHNNY MURTAGH will no longer ride as number one jockey to the all-conquering Coolmoore operation, it was revealed on Monday afternoon.

Following mounting speculation that the rider would no longer be stable jockey to Aidan O'Brien at Ballydolye next year, as described in Sunday's Racing Post, Murtagh's agent Eddie Byrne revealed that the rider had handed in his resignation.

A statement issued on behalf of Murtagh said: "Johnny Murtagh has spoken to Mr John Magnier, Mr Derrick Smith, Mr Michael Tabor and Mr Aidan O'Brien today and informed them that he will not be renewing his contract to ride as stable jockey to Coolmore/Ballydoyle next season, 2011.

"He would like to thank Mr Magnier, Mr Smith, Mr Tabor and Mr O'Brien for the wonderful and successful three years that we all enjoyed together and he wishes all of them, and their families, every success in the future.

"He would also like to thank Mr David Wachman, Mr Charles O'Brien and Mr Tommy Stack, who also train Coolmore horses, and to wish them every success next season."

Murtagh officially became the retained rider to Aidan O'Brien at the start of the 2008 Flat season, having enjoyed big-race success on the likes of Dylan Thomas and Peeping Fawn during the summer of 2007, when deputising for first-jockey Kieren Fallon.

Since his apppointment, Murtagh has had a string of Group 1 victories for Ballydoyle across the world including dual Classic success on Henrythenavigator in 2008, two Ascot Gold Cup wins on Yeats and Irish Derby victories on Fame And Glory and Cape Blanco.

Murtagh's most recent big-race success for O'Brien came on October 31 in the Group 1 Criterium International on Classic candidate Roderic O'Connor.

Following the news that Murtagh will not ride as retained jockey next year, William Hill make Pat Smullen the 6-4 favourite to be next stable jockey at Ballydoyle. Christophe Soumillon is a 7-2 chance with Ryan Moore cut into 5-1 (from 11-2).

Joseph O'Brien, who had been a 5-1 chance has been shunted right out to 14-1. Others to attract cash are Kieren Fallon 7-1 (from 9) and Colm O'Donoghue who is 8-1 (from 16).

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/


Smullen? Nah, I'd bet on Kieren...