Murtagh double

Champion jockey John Murtagh has had a quiet season with 23 winners so far, placing him just sixth in the table. John Oxx's unusually quiet term has allowed Murtagh the chance to make some occasional strikes in England but he should be able to keep the home fires burning at Cork today with a first and last race double.

Unusually for a two-year-old race, Aidan O'Brien has no runner in the Nursery which nevertheless has attracted just four runners. Murtagh rides King Of Russia for Eddie Lynam and this horse should be up to winning. Another course and distance winner back at the start of May, is Harry's Game but he has to concede 6lbs to the selection while the other two runners were well behind Anzari at Galway.

Murtagh rides Hierarchy for Oxx in another four runner race and with the ground likely to ride on the soft side, this filly should be able to add to her eight length defeat of Dancing Sea last month. An interesting rival is Anthem Of Love, winner of her first start at Leopardstown last August, but unseen since running down the field in the Moyglare. Hierarchy should score on fitness though.

Anthem Of Love's trainer Dermot Weld should hit the mark however in the novice hurdle with Stage Affair who made a winning debut over flights at Galway. Curragh trainer Jim Gorman has had another solid season with five winners and Miracle Ridge can contribute again to that total in the five furlong handicap. A two and a half length winner at Down Royal, Miracle Ridge ran another fine race at the Curragh when third to Yorba Linda and the balance of his form makes him look a safe proposition. Cirvin slipped up at Ballinrobe last time but his two runner up placings at Tipperary and here look to make him a likely winner of the bumper.

Live pictures of Irish racing will be available in betting shops today as the Association of Irish Racecourses hve announced a three year deal with SIS. The deal allows for approximately 180 meetings to be transmitted into shops in the first year.

The close circuit pictures available on the racecourses can now be beamed into over 600 shops in the country.

The IHA Chairman Denis Brosnan called the initiative as "another milestone in the evolution of Irish racing", while the Minister for Agriculture, Joe Walsh, commented: "I've no doubt the availability of an uninterrupted Irish service will help to create greater interest both at home and abroad".