Murtagh gains revenge with Fire

It was round two in the colts maiden as Johnny Murtagh and Declan McDonogh fought out the finish again with revenge proving sweet for the former on Swampfire

The pair had to be seperated by the judge in the fillies event but the result was reversed here.

Swampfire cut out the running but looked a sitting duck as newcomer Estithmaar ranged up in the straight.

McDonogh got his mount into a narrow lead briefly inside the final furlong but was just headed in the dying strides as John Oxx's charge battled back gamely.

"We knew he'd go on the ground and thought he'd be hard to beat," said assistant trainer 'Slim' O'Neill.

"Maybe the trip was a bit short and he might get a mile-and-a-half in future but he's tough."

The racecourse enjoyed a bumper crowd thanks to their Student Race Day initiative.

Almost 5,000 tickets were pre-sold for the meeting with the crowd thought to exceed that number.