Lethal Power © Photo Healy Racing
Johnny Murtagh notched his third winner in five days at Gowran today as his Lethal Power justified 7/4 favouritism to win the Join Us September 22nd Handicap, under jockey Shane Foley.
Lethal Power had finished a credible sixth in last weekend's Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh and showed no ill effects from that to readily score, from Impactful
It is six years since Murtagh handled Irish St Leger winner Royal Diamond along with his official trainer Tommy Carmody, with Murtagh taking out the license eight months later in his own name.
Today was Murtagh's 25th success this year and he commented “it was a little bit of a risk coming back after four days but the lads said he was in great form at home, eating up.
“Shane said he's still a big baby and he's still learning all the time. I put the blinkers on him only because it's a sharp track and if he wasn't away and didn't travel he might be in a bad position.
“He ran a great race the other day in the Cambridgeshire and he was entitled to win that. We're hoping he might go up a few pounds in the handicap to maybe get in to one of the big races on Champions Weekend, if it's not too soon.
“He could be a real nice horse for next year. He's learning, big and immature. He's an exciting horse for next year and he's going the right way all the time.
“The horses are going really well. We had two runners today, first and second, just touched off in the second (runner-up Karannelle and I couldn't be happier.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
