Smullen's treble puts heat on Murtagh

Champion jockey Pat Smullen was seen at his best on board 8/1 shot Midnight Music to win the closing mile-and-a-half handicap at Leopardstown and give his jockeys title chances a shot in the arm.

Smullen kept his filly at the rear before making steady headway and delivering his challenge inside the final furlong to win by three-parts-of-a-length from Sun Disc (7/2). Leroy Parker the 3/1 favourite was a further length-and-a-quarter away in third.

Smullen was delivering his third winner of the day and is now only two behind Johnny Murtagh who drew a blank at the Foxrock venue. There are two meetings left before the title is decided – Dundalk on Friday and Leopardstown on Sunday. Ladbrokes now make Murtagh 1/4 (from 1/10) and Smullen is 11/4 (from 5/1).

Dermot Weld trains Midnight Music who gave him a double on the day. He said: “It was a good ride from Pat. The plan was to take our time on her and come home.

“I had a slight doubt about the mile-and-a-half, but it was a beautiful ride, the ride of a champion.”

Michael Graham