Murtagh to ride Shamanova

RACING:AN ALL-NATIONAL Hunt weekend in Ireland means Johnny Murtagh takes a break from pursuing the jockeys championship here to go raiding overseas including in the French Leger at Longchamp tomorrow.

Murtagh dons the Aga Khan silks on board the Alain Royer-Dupre-trained Shamanova in the €250,000 Prix Royal Oak, a Group One prize the Irishman picked up on board the legendary Yeats three years ago.

A field of 14 line up for the almost two-mile event, including last year’s winner Gentoo and Godolphin’s Cavalryman.

The Aga Khan’s number one rider in France, Christophe Lemaire, is on board the Mikel Delzangles-trained Shankardel for the leading owner.

Shamanova finished last of four to Sea Of Heartbreak in the Prix Du Royallieu in her last start over the Arc weekend.

Murtagh is booked for six rides at Newbury this afternoon including the unbeaten Beaten Up in the Group Three St Simon Stakes for Willie Haggas. He is also teaming up James Toller for Saigon in the Group Three Horris Hill Stakes.

Tony McCoy is on the 2009 Galway Plate hero Ballyholland for Northern Ireland trainer Colin McBratney in the three-mile handicap chase at Aintree today, a race that has also attracted Tom Taaffe’s Gowran winner, Treacle.

Galway has the domestic racing scene to itself this weekend and although ground conditions are set to be quite testing at Ballybrit, and with rain forecast, no problems are anticipated with the programme going ahead.

“There’s no concern at all,” manager John Moloney said yesterday. “There’s some rain forecast overnight and for the morning but it’s not too bad after that. We’ve two tracks laid out for the hurdle races.”

That will be good news for the Jessica Harrington-Robbie Power team who plan to get Jenari’s jumping career off to a flying start in today’s Galway opener.

Jenari was one of the best bumper performers in the country last season and wound up with a deserved third to Lovethehigherlaw and Waabeb at Punchestown. The same team have an interesting runner in the handicap hurdle. Hebridean hasn’t run since June of last year but at anywhere near his best hurdles form he doesn’t look harshly treated on his first handicap start.

Most of the field in the Grade Three novice chase wouldn’t like very heavy conditions but Sweeps Hill has at least won on the heavy and has experience.