Well-backed Campanology scores for Murtagh

Campanology recorded his first win since arriving in Ireland, as he took the Irish Times Handicap for jockey/trainer Johnny Murtagh.

A two time winner in the UK, the four-year-old son of Royal Applause made his Irish debut at Dundalk back in March, and after going close on a couple of occasions since, he made the breakthrough today.

The Andrew Tinkler owned gelding was 9/1 last night with Paddy Power, but he was available at just 13/2 this morning, opening on-course at 9/2, before going off the well-supported 4/1 favourite.

Having raced in mid-division, he made progress from two furlongs out, and he was driven along to challenge with a furlong left to race.

He got to the front in the closing stages, holding off the late surge of Line Drummer to score by half a length at the line.

Line Drummer (7/1) for Aidan and Joseph O’Brien, actually dead-heated for second with Paene Mangus (16/1), for Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning, while Billyford ran his best race for a while to take fourth, just a neck back under Seamie Heffernan for Liam Roche at 33/1.

Johnny Murtagh said afterwards: "He ran well in the Cambridgeshire and he might be one for Dubai. He is rated 95 now and he is creeping up all the time.

"He has been running consistently well. He is taking his races much better as he was a bit of a worrier.

"Maybe he will have on more race and then possibly go to Dubai."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee