Murtagh trains his first Listowel winner

His well-backed favourite Sirjack Thomas finished fourth in the previous heat but Johnny Murtagh got on the score-sheet for the first time as a trainer at Listowel when Prosecution landed the spoils in the Seamus Mulvaney Bookmaker Handicap.

Backed from 8/1 into 6/1 on the track and from bigger earlier, the Shane B Kelly-ridden Prosecution chased the leaders through this mile one furlong event.

He was fifth at the halfway stage, and improved to challenge two furlongs out.

Ridden to lead a furlong and a half from home, Prosecution kept on well in the final furlong to beat Cosmic Symbol by a length and three parts.

Johnny Murtagh trains Prosecution for Cheltenham festival winning owner Paul McKeown (Relegate in the bumper this year) and the Curragh handler said: "I haven't had a winner in Listowel as a trainer, and this lad has been second on five occasions for us.

"I thought he would win on the beach (Laytown) last week. I thought it would bring him alive but he didn't run well. Thankfully it gave him something to think about.

"He likes soft ground, and Shane Kelly gave him a great ride. He's a horse that always promised to do that and I'm glad he did."

Murtagh concluded: "Paul McKeon is a big supporter of mine. He's the Chairman of Fitzwilliam Racing, and he bought a few horses on his own this year. He's a National Hunt guy but we are converting him to the Flat!

"Paul said he might be a horse for jumping. I'm hoping to have a few for the jumps over the winter."    

(AM & EM)