The Mpex Kid strikes under Rutledge

The Mpex Kid recorded his second win of the season at Dundalk, as he claimed the irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap under Siobhan Rutledge.

A 50/1 winner over the course and distance in April, the Ciaran Murphy trained six-year-old was second at the Curragh on his penultimate start, finishing fifth of 18 on his most recent outing at Leopardstown.

Sent off a 6/1 chance this afternoon, the Tamayuz bay raced in a share of the lead, before gaining an outright advantage early in the straight.

Ridden over a furlong from home, he kept up the gallop all the way to the line, coming home half-a-length to the good in the colours of Dot Love.

The well-backed Darkdeserthighway (8s early, returned the 10/3 favourite) was somewhat unlucky, coming through from well off the pace to finish a never nearer second under Colin Keane for Michael O'Callaghan.

Michael Beresford had a nice spin on Trueba (20/1), with this Johnny Murtagh trained five-time winner finishing another half-a-length back in third.

"We really fancied him at the Curragh and he obviously met Michael O'Callaghan's horse (Facethepuckout) who was very well in," Murphy said.

"He did nothing wrong that day, Dusty (Shane Foley) gave him a cracking ride and he just met a better one.

"We went a few days later to Leopardstown and ran another cracker so listen we just freshened him up and came here. We knew from before that he liked the surface.

"Dusty couldn't ride him today and Siobhan was very good on him. She was an able deputy.

"He likes to run fresh, he's good fresh but loves the surface and seems to be really enjoying his racing now.

"We won't overrace him, but hopefully there is another one in him before Christmas.

"We have one more (winner) than last year with half the runners."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham