Sport

Murtagh switches to Fame And Glory for Irish Derby

RACING NEWS : JOHNNY MURTAGH believes Fame And Glory heads into Sunday’s Irish Derby an improved performer as he bids to turn…

Thu Jun 25 2009 - 01:00

RACING NEWS: JOHNNY MURTAGH believes Fame And Glory heads into Sunday's Irish Derby an improved performer as he bids to turn the tables on Epsom conqueror Sea The Stars.

After victories in the Ballysax Stakes and the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial, Fame And Glory was sent off favourite for Epsom’s Derby but he had to make do with the runner-up spot behind John Oxx’s 2,000 Guineas hero.

Murtagh rode fourth-home Rip Van Winkle that day, but as that colt is set to line up in the Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday week, the Ballydoyle stable jockey is ready to switch to Fame And Glory in this weekend’s Irish Classic.

“At Epsom it was a good even pace all the way, but I think Mick (Kinane) decided at the top of the hill that he was going to ignore the two horses in front and he knew Sea The Stars was going to pick them up at any time,” Murtagh told RTÉ Sport.

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“He really dictated the race to the rest of us and there is not much you can do then, you just have to sit and suffer.

“Take nothing away from Sea The Stars as he was a very good winner on the day and he’s now won the Guineas and the Derby. The Epsom Derby winner doesn’t always win the Irish Derby, but they have a good record in it.

“I’m not going to give up on our horses yet as we’ve got two horses with massive chances in Fame And Glory and Masterofthehorse (third at Epsom) and they have definitely improved.

“I think the Curragh will suit them as it’s a big, galloping track and it will be a good test, so hopefully we can put it up to Sea The Stars.

“I’m going to stick with Fame And Glory, as I think he’s definitely improved at home from Epsom and he’s very solid,” he said.

Fame And Glory is just one of 10 entries for Aidan O’Brien in the Group One contest.

Many judges have questioned the Epsom form due to the lack of pace, and O’Brien believes the answers will be provided at the Curragh on Sunday.

“Everybody knows it wasn’t a fast pace and it wasn’t a slow pace, it was probably a medium pace,” O’Brien said.

“We’ve been very happy with the horses since and, if anything, they have been improving from run to run.

“The Curragh is a very fair track, an even mile-and-a-half, and it looks like it’s going to be beautiful ground, so we are looking forward to it.

“Hopefully this weekend it will be an even, level pace and we will all learn a lot more.”