Rutledge excels on Murphy's Light

Siobhan Rutledge proved an inspired booking on the John Joseph Murphy trained Dappled Light when getting the colt up close home to land the Irish Examiner Handicap at Killarney.

Racing from 5lb out of the handicap, Murphy wisely chose to enlist an apprentice to take the mount and his decision to go with Rutledge was well rewarded.

Prominent just off the pace in the early stages of the race, the three-year-old appeared all at sea on the bottom bend, losing his pitch and dropping to rear.

However, Rutledge refused to give up the ghost, gradually moving back through the field until only leader Gunsight held sway. A strong late burst saw the Murphy horse get up close home to win by a short head.

Winning trainer John Joseph Murphy said: "He is a nice horse and with it being so soft all along, we said we'd wait and luckily it came better here. He is a lovely horse and we said we'd claim the 5lb off today.

"He is still a bit bigger behind and is only coming right now, so there is no rush with him as he will progress."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes