Murtaghs Swansong Yields Honours

Johnny Murtagh's Ballydoyle swansong yielded Group One honours when Recital won the Criterium de Saint-Cloud in France.

The outgoing Coolmore-retained rider was calmness personified on Aidan O'Brien's colt, who was preserving his unbeaten record following a debut success at Navan.

Anchored towards the rear of the field early on, the Montjeu colt slowly warmed to his task before being delivered with a decisive late burst under his jockey's urgings, beating Bubble Chic by five lengths.

Recital was giving O'Brien a fourth Criterium success in the last 10 years and had stable companion Exodus back in fourth.

Dougie Does Well

Midnight Chase was a joy to watch in giving Dougie Costello a quick double in the Morson Group Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

Raised 9lb for an easy win at the course last month, the Neil Mulholland-trained eight-year-old (8-1) jumped from fence to fence at the head of affairs.

Junior was in second throughout but could never get on terms to land a blow, while Any Currency stayed on from a long way back to fill the runner-up berth, eight lengths away from the impressive winner.

Irish National winner Bluesea Cracker travelled well for a long way before tiring into fourth.

Mulholland said: "We were due to come back here in December, but there's a possibility we might have to go out of handicaps now. We were hoping he could improve and he has done.

"I've stood in the same spot in the weighing room for his last three wins now and I like to keep things the same if I can.

"I'm lucky I've got a good jockey on board so I don't have to worry about things too much, but I got more of a thrill watching that than I ever did riding.

"We'll definitely be looking to come back here some time - he loves it at Cheltenham."

Costello, who also won on Wayward Prince, added: "He's a specialist around here - he hits the hill here and finds an extra gear. Neil is a serious trainer and has done marvellous with this horse."

Davy Russell Does The Business

Davy Russell landed a treble at Punchestown initiated when Rubi Light made it three from three over fences with an all-the-way success in the Active Retirement Days Handicap Chase.

Robbie Hennessy's charge (5-2 favourite) impressed with his jumping to score in the style of a progressive performer.

The trainer said: "He may be better over further, but he can't go down the novice route as he won over fences in France before we bought him. He'll probably run next at Leopardstown over Christmas in either a handicap or a Listed chase."

Russell followed up on Magnanimity, who reversed the form of his fencing debut with fellow 9-4 joint-favourite Arabella Boy in the G.A.A. Fundraisers Beginners Chase.

Dessie Hughes's six-year-old wasn't entirely foot-perfect but still proved two lengths too strong, and is also bound for Leopardstown over the Festive period.

Hughes said: "He really needs three miles and did well to win over two and a half today. He goes on heavy ground and is a nice long-distance novice chasing prospect. He'll go for a three-mile novice chase at Leopardstown next."

The Gigginstown Stud colours were back in the winner's enclosure after Gordon Elliott's long-term absentee Beautiful Sound (5-1) completed the treble for Russell in the Thoroughbred Trails Handicap Chase.

The jockey looked like making it four as Days Ahead swung into the straight cruising behind the front-running Silas Mariner (9-4) in the Punchestown Christmas Market 3-Y-O Hurdle.

But Sabrina Harty's leader pulled out all the stops and held the staying-on Accidental Outlaw by three-quarters of a length, with Days Ahead only third.

The winner handler said: "Although he front-runs, he is quite idle and only picks up when others come to him. You never know how much he has left because of that. He'll make a very nice horse next year."

Sam Winner Wins!

The flowering partnership between Paul Nicholls and Noel Fehily in the absence of the injured Ruby Walsh continued apace at Cheltenham when Sam Winner ran out an easy victor of the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial.

Making his British debut, having earlier this year finished second three times in his native France, Sam Winner (4-1) tracked wide throughout.

When the race began in earnest three flights from home, Fehily gave the youngster an inch of rein and he came down the stands rail to power clear of Grandouet by 15 lengths.

Hughes Misses Out

Richard Hughes was forced to endure a highly frustrating day in his quest to catch Paul Hanagan in the race for the jockeys' championship.

Starting proceedings three behind the long-time leader, Hughes travelled to Nottingham in the afternoon for seven rides, making just Spring Secret count in the B&M Installations Handicap to reduce the arrears.

While Hanagan was not in action at a murky Colwick Park, the pair were due to go head-to-head under the floodlights at Kempton in the evening.

However, adverse weather conditions forced helicopter problems for Hughes and he failed to make it Sunbury for any of his six booked rides, having been left with an ultimately futile bid to travel by road.

The only consolation for Hughes was that none of his intended mounts got home in front, and Hanagan never really looked like extending his lead.

News On Tidal Bay

oward Johnson will make a decision on targets for Tidal Bay after he makes his return to action in the John Smith's Hurdle at Wetherby.

The nine-year-old appeared to be losing his way over fences during the first half of last season and the decision to switch back to the smaller obstacles paid off as he secured victory in the Cleeve Hurdle and put in decent efforts at the Cheltenham Festival and at Aintree.

"He's ready for a run and we've decided to stick over hurdles for his first run. We'll see how he gets on and then we'll make our minds up whether we're going to stick over hurdles or go back over fences," said Johnson.

"He likes good ground so that will suit him, but Nicky Henderson's horse (Duc De Regniere) will be hard to beat. We have to give him 8lb as well, so it's going to be difficult, but we'll still run our horse and see how we get on."

Ooooh It`s Tight!

A dramatic day in the jockeys' title race saw Paul Hanagan head into the penultimate weekend of the Flat season with a lead of five over Richard Hughes.

Leading by six at the start of play, Hanagan watched as the gallant Hughes reduced the arrears to four with a double at Newmarket, which included Listed-race success on Sweet Cecily for the Richard Hannon team.

Hanagan was not in action at Newmarket, but hit back at the Wolverhampton evening meeting with a double to Hughes's solitary winner.

The northern-based rider struck when taking the first at the all-weather track on 7-2 favourite Whispering Gallery for Ann Duffield.


And it did not take Hanagan long to notch his brace and take the gap back to six with a superb ride on One Cool Bex (11-4 joint-favourite) for Newmarket handler Charlie McBride.

Hanagan was then agonisingly denied in the extended two-mile handicap, in which Hughes had a very lucky escape as he was unshipped from Pearl, crashing to the floor but thankfully walking away unharmed from what was a spare ride.

An enthralling few hours ended with Hughes landing an across-the-card treble as he drove Star Links (11-2) home in the final race of the night to deny the Hanagan-ridden Nicholas Pocock. Hanagan sits on 183 winners to Hughes on 178.