Murtagh hearing Tuesday

Racing News round-up: Johnny Murtagh's appeal against a seven-day ban that rules him out of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe will…

Racing News round-up: Johnny Murtagh's appeal against a seven-day ban that rules him out of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe will be heard on Tuesday.

The Turf Club's Appeals and Referrals Committee will also hear the appeal of trainer Eddie Lynam against his €750 fine on the same day.

The appeals centre on the running and riding of Dangle in the opener at the Curragh on Sunday when Murtagh was suspended for insufficient effort, Lynam fined for using the racecourse as a training ground and the horse banned from racing for 42 days.

On Sunday Lynam said that the Curragh stewards had put a slur on his name and yesterday he insisted: "I am still very angry about the whole affair."

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Other news yesterday centred on In Time's Eye being lumbered with topweight for the Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup next month.

The withdrawl of Mubtaker from the race leaves the Dermot Weld trained Royal Ascot winner at the top of the weights but the horse is not yet a certain runner.

"It's a question of what the actual weight is that he has to carry," Weld said yesterday. "No decision has been taken about whether he runs there or in the Cumberland Lodge at Ascot on Sunday. There is no hurry."

Murtagh's focus will be on Clonmel today as he looks to hold excellent chances in the first two maidens, The 84-rated Sharesha has been disappointing since her first two starts but will rarely get a better chance than today's while last week's expensive runner-up Parshawar will be a short price to go one better in the mile and a half maiden.

Fiddlers Bar has her first start over fences in the beginners chase and Paul Carberry looks a significant booking.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column