RACING:Johnny Murtagh is back in action at Dundalk tonight after breaking his collarbone in a skiing accident in Saalbach, Austria, at the beginning of the year.
Tonight on the polytrack Murtagh rides Dansili Dual in the 8.20 and in the concluding 9.20 race he gets the leg-up on Denny Crane.
Champion Jockey Joseph O’Brien, who picked up a three- day ban for using his whip with excessive force on second-placed Massabini at Dundalk a fortnight ago, is another in action pending an appeal.
That hearing is reportedly set for Monday and in the interim O’Brien will take three mounts on the seven-race programme. The dual Derby-winning jockey will partner Massabini again in the 8.50 while in the opener he is on Black N Brew. His third ride is in the finale when he teams up with El Salvador – a winner here two weeks back – trained by father Aidan.
Leading Foxhunter Chase contender Roulez Cool has been ruled out for the season. Trained by Robert Waley-Cohen and ridden by his son, Sam, the 10-year-old finished second in the John Smith’s Fox Hunters’ Chase at Aintree last term.
He unseated his rider in the Cheltenham equivalent last term but had been due to bid for redemption back at Prestbury Park next month in an event now sponsored by the Country Gentleman’s Association.
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