Johnny Murtagh moved three winners (71-68) clear of Pat Smullen at the head of the Jockeys’ Championship at Navan today, when completing a double in the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden on the John Oxx trained Tugboat

Oxx was not present for the win but his assistant Slim O’Neill did later say “Johnny (Murtagh) said Tugboat is learning and is still a bit green.

“He needs to step up in trip, has the pedigree to improve with age and is in at the Sales in a few weeks time.

“I think that’s the first winner we’ve had for the owner (Thomas Barr, owner of Champion Hurdle runner-up Osana) - we’ve hit the crossbar a few times in the past for him.”

Stan James Bookmakers subsequently updated their betting for the Jockeys' Championship and cut Murtagh to 4/6 (from 1/1) and pushed Smullen to 11/10 (from 5/6).

Thomas Weekes