Group 3 win helps Murtagh to Gowran double

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