Song team to decide on jockey issue
Monday, 15 August 2005 12:30Connections of Soviet Song face the prospect of finding a replacement jockey for the mare's next race following Johnny Murtagh's ban of 23 days, picked up at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Soviet Song, trained by James Fanshawe, is set to bid for back-to-back victories in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on September 10, with Murtagh looking likely to miss out after being handed the ban.
Murtagh has partnered Soviet Song in her last 11 starts, which have included four Group One victories.
Only two other jockeys have ridden her in public. After Oscar Urbina had been in the plate for her first six starts, Jamie Spencer was fifth on her in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in September 2003 before Murtagh began his successful association.
However, the partnership looks to have come to a temporary halt after Murtagh was handed his ban when called before the stewards having appeared to strike Pat Smullen after passing the post in the opening race at Leopardstown yesterday.
Murtagh's day got worse when he picked up a further two days for careless riding after his victory on Back To Paris in the penultimate race on the card.
His ban will start on August 23 and rules him out of the ride on Vodafone Derby winner Motivator in the Irish Champion Stakes on the September 10 Leopardstown card.
Murtagh will study a film of the incident before deciding whether to appeal.
