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Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

Familiar scores on debut for Murtagh

Sun 23rd Apr 2017, 14:46

Too Familiar (inside) stays on best to beat Crown LeahToo Familiar (inside) stays on best to beat Crown Leah
© Photo Healy Racing

Newcomer Too Familiar pounced late on to claim the opener at Navan, the Coolmore Stud Requinto EBF Fillies Maiden.

Sent off an easy to back 20/1 chance, the Johnny Murtagh trained grey was settled in mid-division by Niall McCullagh.

She was pushed along from two furlongs out, and was stuck behind a wall of horses in sixth with a furlong left to go.

Luckily the necessary gaps appeared in time, and she swept through on the rail to lead inside the final furlong, going on to score by half a length.

Fellow newcomer Crown Leah (16/1), who went to the front inside the final furlong, had to settle for second under Shane Kelly for Michael O'Callaghan.

O'Callaghan also saddled the third horse home, and that was Summerseat Mist (4/1jav), who was another length and three parts back under Pat Smullen. Could It Be Love for Seamie Heffernan and Aidan O'Brien, was the other joint-favourite, and she finished a never involved thirteenth.

Johnny Murtagh said afterwards: "That's a bit of pressure off as it's a new syndicate (Fitzwilliam Racing) that we put together. It's their second runner and first winner.

"I've always liked her and she showed a lot of pace. She has been working very well at home.

"I said to Niall to ride her for luck but he said she was brave, she pricked her ears a little bit when she went there but the gap opened up lovely and she's quickened well.

"There is a fillies race in Naas for her now. The syndicate are still dreaming of Ascot so you never know. The dream is still alive!"

The winning daughter of Clodovil cost E25,000 as a yearling at Tattersalls last September

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
20/1
Tote €42.60 €9.00
2nd
0.5L
16/1
€6.40
3rd
1.75L
4/1JFav
€1.40
4th
1.5L
5/1
bf
3.5L
4/1JFav
About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.