Murtagh favourite to retain title Johnny Murtagh is 11/10 favourite with Paddy Power to retain his Champion Flat jockey title ahead of the start of the turf season at the Curragh this Sunday. Murtagh landed the championship for the fifth time last year, and now has the added incentive of trying to match Pat Smullen’s tally of six titles this season. Powers believe the title race will again develop into a head-to-head between Murtagh and Smullen, who finished four winners adrift of his great rival last year. Paddy Power said: "We look like being in for another crackajack battle between Johnny and Pat, with the young pretender Joseph thrown in for good measure, and Johnny will be desperate to match Pat's six championship victories." 2012 Irish Flat Jockeys Championship Paddy Power bet: 11/10 Johnny Murtagh, 5/4 Pat Smullen, 6 Joseph O'Brien, 25 Wayne Lordan, 33 Kevin Manning, 50 Fran Berry, Declan McDonogh, 66 Seamus Heffernan, Colm O'Donoghue.
