Suspended Murtagh still the favourite for top jockey award
Saturday June 20 2009
With one day still remaining at Royal Ascot 2009, bookmakers believe Gold Cup-winning rider Johnny Murtagh has the top jockey title wrapped up.
Perched on four winners for the meeting after missing both yesterday and today through suspension, Murtagh was cut to 1/2 by totesport from the 4/6 on offer 24 hours earlier, while William Hill are more generous at this stage, moving to 4/6 from 8/13. Murtagh is looking to retain the London Clubs Charity Trophy. His nearest challengers in the betting are Richard Hughes and Ryan Moore.
Champion jockey Moore moved to two winners for the meeting through Perfect Stride in the Wolferton Handicap and still has some tasty rides left on the final afternoon with the likes of Kingsgate Native and Doctor Fremantle to look forward to.
Moore is 15/8 second best. Although Hughes has three on the board, he is virtually discounted and available at 9/1, despite being odds-on after Tuesday's treble.
Richard Hills is another with three after the brilliant success of Ghanaati in the Coronation Stakes, but he is a 20/1 chance with William Hill.
Meanwhile, Epsom Oaks one-two Sariska and Midday look on course for a rematch in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh on July 12. The Michael Bell-trained Sariska followed up her victory in the Musidora Stakes at York with a narrow defeat of Midday earlier this month, and a bid for more Classic glory is now firmly on the cards.
"She's all set for the Irish Oaks and everything has gone fine since the race," said Bell. "She is being brought along with a view to going to Ireland."
