JOHNNY Murtagh moved on to a career-best 42 winners in an Irish flat season, bettering his 2020 tally by one, as he continued his late-season charge with a double which he shared with Ben Coen.

The brace was completed by Maristella (9/4) who showed that she possesses grit and heart aplenty to go with her potential in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap over a mile.

The very lightly-raced Ballylinch Stud-owned four-year-old was hit with an 11lb hike for a win at Galway last month which meant that she had to shoulder top weight. Indeed the daughter of New Bay came under pressure sooner than some of her rivals but kept responding to Coen’s promptings and went to the line with real purpose to edge out Prioritise in a bobbing finish.

“She probably deserves a shot at blacktype. There’s not much left although there are listed races in Naas and Leopardstown. She likes soft ground and probably wants a mile and a quarter,” said the trainer.

Another Murtagh inmate to shrug off a hefty enough rise in the weights was Mile End who defied a 12lb hike for a recent Curragh success in the nursery over just short of six furlongs. The Gredley family-owned daughter of Expert Eye took a lead on this occasion but from halfway it was all looking quite ominous for her rivals. The 6/1 shot asserted approaching the final furlong and went on to reach the line two and a half lengths ahead of Lazer Port.

“I’ll have to speak to the owners and see if that is it for the year or will we go again. We will see how she is over the next couple of days but she is after winning two and deserves to be on the team next year. The way she is going she might make a nice sprinter,” commented Murtagh.

Lot of Love for McCreery

Willie McCreery is steadily closing in on one of his strongest seasonal tallies to date and he made it 24 winners for the campaign courtesy of the useful-looking newcomer Lovejoy in the two-year-old median auction maiden over just short of six furlongs.

Owned by the trainer and bred by his wife Amanda, this filly is a half-sister to a number of McCreery-trained winners and she produced a very likeable display under Nathan Crosse. The 12/1 chance blazed a trail from her high draw and sustained her effort in determined fashion to hold off the 11/10 favourite Lan Cinnte by a head. The latter’s rider Shane Foley was hit with a three-day whip ban.

“She had been a bit keen at home so the whole thing was trying to settle her but Nathan was good on her and she loved that ground. Next year will be her year,” stated the trainer.

The improving Red Trail followed up a recent Down Royal triumph with a narrow success in the first division of the 47-65 rated 10-furlong handicap. Andrew McNamara’s charge was once again ridden by apprentice Jack Kearney who had to be patient. It was only approaching the final furlong that Red Trail found room and she finished with a flourish to nail the 66/1 chance Gudrun Genberg, for owner breeder Andrew Heffernan.

“She battled hard in Down Royal and today things didn’t go brilliantly but when she got a clear run she fairly motored home,” said the trainer. “She won with a bit of a cut in Down Royal and it was softer today so I’d say Dr Heffernan would be keen to go over hurdles.”

The second divide of that 10-furlong handicap went to Barry Fitzgerald’s Brave Troop (12/1) who was ridden by Rory Cleary. The Elmir Habibovic-owned and bred son of Pride Of Dubai was travelling conspicuously well from early in the straight and led over a furlong out en route to a length-and-a-quarter success over Prime Chief.

Salt Lake City returned to the substantial promise of his debut second to the subsequent National Stakes hero Al Riffa, to win the two-year-old mile maiden in the style of a decent colt. After that initial outing Aidan O’Brien’s charge failed to fire in a maiden at York, but the 9/5 favourite bounced back here. Wayne Lordan got the son of Galileo to the front from the outset and Salt Lake City was able to control the race. He shrugged off Young Ireland and then kept on strongly to defeat Dutch Gold by five lengths.

Good run

“He had a good run at the Curragh and maybe the quick ground was the reason for the slightly disappointing run in England,” observed the trainer’s representative Chris Armstrong. “We have those group races in two weeks between Ireland, England and France and he could be one for one of those.”

Eddie Lynam’s capable sprinter Rough Diamond took advantage of a drop in class to record his second success of the season in a useful sprint handicap over an extended five furlongs. In the colours of Trevor Dalzell, Rough Diamond was sent off the 3/1 favourite to build on a solid effort in the Bold Lad Sprint Handicap.

He headed the group on the stands’ side from early on and his rider Dylan Browne McMonagle had saved plenty for when it mattered most as Rough Diamond kept on bravely over in the last furlong to fend off the Ger O’Leary-trained duo of Princess Sela and Fastar.

Conversant (13/2) made it five career wins in the 47-65 rated apprentice riders’ sprint handicap. Daniel King’s mount was showing in front at halfway and he just lasted home from the staying-on Linus Larrabee for Denis Hogan and the Choi Fook Racing Syndicate.