Johnny Murtagh remains six winners in front of Pat Smullen as the race for the champion jockey title enters the finishing straight.

There are just three meetings left at Dundalk and Smullen grabbed a valuable winner aboard Night Spark (5-1) in the closing Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Handicap, but he can count himself unlucky not to have had two winners on the night.< Russian Empress was sent off the 11-4 favourite for Smullen in the Group Discounts At Dundalk Stadium Race but she reared slightly as the stalls opened.

She was left in last and after giving her rivals a head start, she just failed to catch Tornadodancer (11-2) in the shadow of the post.

"From about a month back I thought this would be his best chance to get his head in front, in this type of race," said winning trainer Tom McCourt.

Murtagh made the frame on Iron Major in the Dining Specials At Dundalk Stadium Nursery Handicap but he could finish only third behind the Austin Leahy-trained Willyconker

"He's lucky little horse and he'll be better next year - he's a bit weak," said Leahy.

"Unfortunately there is nothing here until the end of February so I might take him to Wolverhampton in the spring."

Murtagh hit the bar again as Shirley Blake had no answer to the late thrust of Hen Night (7-2) in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Fillies Maiden.

Successful rider Wayne Lordan said: "She's a nice filly. She ran well first time, improved for the run and did the business today. She'll be OK for next year."

Murtagh was denied another chance to further extend his lead as Impressionist Art went down by half a length to the Fran Berry-ridden Little Bug (7-1) in the Crowne Plaza Race And Stay Package Handicap.

Smullen was similarly out of luck in the [email protected] Race as Settigiano (7-1) triumphed in the hands of Seamus Heffernan, while Bobs Pride made little impact in the Buy Your Sonny Knowles Book For The Good Times At Dunnes Stores Handicap, won by 9-1 chance Gwens Spirit