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- Gamble Zoola gives Murtagh double
Gamble Zoola gives Murtagh double
Double for Johnny Murtagh
© Photo Healy Racing
Zoola blazed a trail in the two-year-old maiden to give Johnny Murtagh a quick double at Tipperary.
The Andrew Heffernan-trained filly landed a touch in the five furlong event having been backed from as big as 20/1 in the morning and returning 6/1 on course.
The daughter of Iffraaj bounced out in front and had her rivals struggling over a furlong out.
She galloped on strongly in the closing stages and was eased down close home for a cosy three-length success over Rose Garden (6/4 to 9/4).
The favourite Truly Madly who was well backed from 2/1 into 11/8, tried to lie up with the winner early on but had no more in the closing stages and finished third.
"I thought if she did what she was doing at home she'd be thereabouts," said Heffernan.
"She wasn't fully wound up but she had been doing bits of work with Give Me Shelter (a recent Dundalk winner for son Bernard) and was lying up with him.
"That's the first two-year-old winner I've trained although I had a horse before that was second as a two-year-old."
Gary Carson & Thomas Weekes