Title race heads to Clonmel
Johnny Murtagh and Michael Kinane head for Clonmel today with five and four rides respectively in the next round in the battle for the Irish jockeys’ championship.
Kinane drew level with his rival with a double at the Curragh and Ladbrokes quote both contenders at 5-6 with 16 races of the season remaining.
There are five races at Clonmel this afternoon, three more advertised at Thurles next Thursday and eight due to be run on the final day of the campaign, at Leopardstown on Sunday week.
Kinane, the 11-times Irish champion, doubled up at odds of almost 15-1 for his boss Aidan O’Brien during the final meeting of the season at the Curragh.
Those who turned up at headquarters saw Kinane boot home Alberto Giacometti and Carpanetto in two of the three juvenile maidens on the card.
After apprentice Wayne Lordan had doubled up in the opening events on Ifubelieveinmagic (12-1) and Senators Alibi (10-1) for Tipperary trainer Thomond O’Mara, Kinane then took centre-stage to draw level with Murtagh on the 74-winner mark as the latter drew a blank on the day.
Alberto Giacometti had to survive a stewards’ inquiry before being confirmed the successful favourite in the Classic Hospitality Maiden, drifting across the track before defeating stablemate Mingun (10-1) by a neck.
O’Brien was also responsible for two of the principals in the Go Racing In Kildare Maiden, with Kinane driving the 6-1 chance Carpanetto to a hard-earned, half-a-length victory over Murtagh on the favourite Canouan with the winner’s stablemate Fontanesi a strong-finishing third after suffering interference and a nasty gash on a front leg earlier in the contest.
