RACING: Ice Dancer gave Michael Kinane a welcome winner at Leopardstown yesterday on his return from the Breeders' Cup meeting in Chicago to leave him two behind Johnny Murtagh in their duel for the Irish jockeys' championship.

Successful in the Trigo Stakes a year ago, Ice Dancer made all the running for Kinane to repeat the victory in a Listed event over 10 furlongs at the expense of the well-backed favourite In Time's Eye.

Johnny Murtagh, who led by a single victory (72-71) starting the day, kept up the pressure on Kinane with an earlier double aboard New South Wales and Sea Dart,

both of which are trained by his boss John Oxx for their owner-breeder Sheikh Mohammed.

After racing, Paddy Power quoted Murtagh as 2 to 5 favourite to take the title, with Kinane available at 7 to 4.