O'Keeffe keeps winning as leading Conditional bags double

Darragh O'Keeffe bagged a double at Downpatrick today as the Conditional Jockeys' Championship leader landed the Hannontravel.com Win A Trip Handicap Chase on the Tom McCourt trained Muroor

The son of Nayef was getting off the mark over fences today at the fourth attempt when scoring his fourth career success as he gained a narrow head win over I'm An Izz Wizz

Muroor gained his initial racecourse win in a Leicester flat handicap in 2016 but today's fourth success was his third at the Co Down venue and afterwards trainer McCourt said “whatever it is up here just brings out the best in him.

“He jumped very quick and was lightning for a small horse. I thought at the weight he would run well, not as well as those who backed him, I don't know where that came from! He's just a real specialist for up here.

“He's great value (Darragh O'Keefe), his 5lbs claim is unreal. That's two rides two winners for me. He's a sharp sort of a lad and he used his head very well.”

O'Keeffe is now 14 winners clear of Kevin Brouder (31-17) in the very early stages of this year's Conditional Jockeys' Championship, with Jack Kennedy's tally of 44 wins for the 2015/16 season the best achieved by a Conditional Jockey this century.

Quotes from Michael Graham