Group 3 win helps Murtagh to Gowran double Johnny Murtagh is enjoying his best season, numerically, at present and his Pacodali’s success in the concluding Live Music After Racing Maiden at Gowan today was completing a double in the day for the trainer. Pacodali, under Bill Lee, edged into eventual runner-up Tipstaff over a furlong out and while the stewards subsequently called an enquiry, the winning margin of a length was deemed enough for Pacodali to hold the race. Murtagh, responsible for most of the training of 2012 Irish St Leger winner Royal Diamond before taking out a license to train in 2013, had earlier won the featured Group 3 Lavarack & Landwades Stakes with Duchess Andorra and following his latest win stated “he’s (Pacodali) a highly rated horse and we gave him a break after Ascot as he was a bit tired after that. “I think he's a stakes horse and he'll improve fitness wise and Billy (Lee) said he could drop back a furlong and a bit of better ground would suit. He's a horse we've always thought a lot of and he's been unlucky a few times. He showed enough in the Tetrarch (Stakes) to show us he could hopefully be a stakes horse.” By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson
