Keatley Takes Top Stable Staff Awards Honour

Valerie Keatley, head girl for trainer Johnny Murtagh, was honoured with the Irish Racing Excellence Award at the 2021 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards on Wednesday. Keatley, who also won the Leadership Award (Stable), has been with Murtagh since shortly after he set up his training business and Murtagh credits her contribution as one of the reasons behind the yard's success.

Keatley said, “It was a huge honour to be nominated and be chosen as one of the finalists. To win the Leadership Stable Award and then win the Irish Racing Excellence Award is just unbelievable–I am over the moon, especially when I was nominated with all the other brilliant finalists and winners this year.”

The other award winners are Helen O'Sullivan, career coach with the Irish Jockeys Trust who received the Racing and Breeding Support Services Award; Anne O'Connor, racing secretary to Michael Halford who earned the Administration Award; Ringfort Stud's Keith Lynam, who took the Newcomer Award; Henry de Bromhead's Emmett Raher, winner of the Horse Care Award; Dermot Weld stable lad David Glennon, who took the In The Saddle Award; Caroline Hannon, manager of Newtown Stud who received the Leadership Award (Stud); Ger Brabston, Derrinstown Stud's horsebox driver who earned the Dedication To Racing and Breeding Award; and Jennifer Pugh, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board's senior medical offer who earned a Special Recognition Award. Tramore Racecourse took the Racecourse Award.

The 11 award categories carry over €85,000 in prizemoney which is divided among the winners, finalists, and their employers. The Newcomer Award winner also receives a trip to Dubai. In addition, the winner in each category receives a specially commissioned trophy by sculptor Ani Mollereau.

Joe Osborne, managing director of Godolphin Ireland, said, “On behalf of Godolphin and our fellow sponsors I congratulate the winners announced today. It is an inspiring array of talent, dedication and enthusiasm–talents which have helped us all navigate our sector through a difficult time. Valerie Keatley deserves particular mention as winner of the Irish Racing Excellence Award. She is a great role model for everyone in our industry and we are delighted that her leadership skills have been credited with that prestigious award by the judging committee.”

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Johnny Murtagh to Train for HH The Aga Khan

Five-time Irish Champion Jockey Johnny Murtagh, who has been training since 2013, will join the roster of HH The Aga Khan’s trainers in Ireland, The Aga Khan Studs announced on Tuesday. Trainer of this season’s G1 Matron S. heroine Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}), Murtagh was stable jockey to John Oxx from 1992 until 2003 and rode many winners in the iconic green and red colours, among them English and Irish Derby hero Sinndar (Ire) (Grand Lodge). Murtagh was also retained jockey for His Highness The Aga Khan in 2011 and 2012 and was aboard 16 Group 1 winners in total for the organisation.

“We have watched Johnny’s training career develop over the last few years and undoubtedly 2020 has been a highly successful year for him,” said Pat Downes, manager of the Aga Khan Studs in Ireland. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to have him train for the Aga Khan Studs and we will be sending him some yearlings in the coming weeks. His Highness and Johnny have enjoyed some great days in the past together and hopefully there will be good days to look forward to in the future as well.”

“I am delighted to renew our partnership with H.H. the Aga Khan and his team,” said Murtagh. “A hugely successful owner-breeder operation worldwide, I look forward to receiving his draft of yearlings here at Fox Covert Stables and hopefully many winners to come, to add to our great association together.”

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Retired Champion Jockey Johnny Murtagh Joins Trainer Roster For Aga Khan Studs

The Aga Khan Studs are delighted to announce that Johnny Murtagh is to join their roster of trainers in Ireland alongside Dermot Weld and Michael Halford, and will receive a draft of yearlings this year.

Five-time Irish Champion jockey Johnny Murtagh took out his trainers' license in 2013 and has quickly met with success. The Kildare-based professional recently won his first Group 1 victory as a trainer thanks to Champers Elysees in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown during Irish Champions Weekend.

During his illustrious career as a jockey, Johnny Murtagh enjoyed success in the most prestigious races, including all the Irish Classics, all the Group 1 contests at Royal Ascot, the Derby, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Breeders' Cup Turf and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Johnny Murtagh was closely associated to the Aga Khan Studs during his period as stable jockey to John Oxx from 1992 until 2003, famously partnering Champion racehorse SINNDAR to dual Derby heroics in Epsom and Ireland, and culminating with victory in the Arc in 2000.

In 1996, Murtagh rode the great TIMARIDA to three wins at the highest level, while other notable horses during this period were KALANISI (Champion Stakes and Breeders' Cup Turf),

Enzeli (Ascot Gold Cup) and Alamshar (Irish Derby and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes).

The jockey renewed his link with the Aga Khan Studs, as retained jockey for the owner/breeder in 2011 and 2012, and lifted the Prix de Diane in 2012 in the saddle of Valyra. In total, Murtagh rode 16 G1 winners in the green and red silks of H.H. the Aga Khan, and a new chapter in this successful association will begin with his first runners in 2021.

“We have watched Johnny's training career develop over the last few years and undoubtedly 2020 has been a highly successful year for him,” said Pat Downes, manager of the Aga Khan Studs in Ireland. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to have him train for the Aga Khan Studs and we will be sending him some yearlings in the coming weeks. His Highness and Johnny have enjoyed some great days in the past together and hopefully there will be good days to look forward to in the future as well.”

\“I am delighted to renew our partnership with H.H. the Aga Khan and his team,” said Murtagh. “A hugely successful owner/breeder operation worldwide, I look forward to receiving his draft of yearlings here at Fox Covert Stables and hopefully many winners to come, to add to our great association together.“

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Yoshida Purchases Champers Elysees

Teruya Yoshida of Shadai Farm has purchased the recent G1 Matron S. winner Champers Elysees (GB) (Elzaam {Aus}) from Dublin-based syndicate Fitzwilliam Racing.

The 3-year-old filly was selected by trainer Johnny Murtagh and Eddie Linehan for €28,000 from the 2018 Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale and was one of 10 yearlings in Fitzwilliam Racing’s third intake. She broke her maiden on her fourth start at The Curragh last year and was second in Naas’s Birdcatcher H. She has gone unbeaten in four tries this year, winning at handicap and listed levels before taking Gowran’s G3 Fairy Bridge S. on Sept. 2 and the Matron on Irish Champions Weekend over 2020 Classic winners Peaceful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

Murtagh tweeted, “We are delighted to welcome Mr. Yoshida of Shadai Farm to Fox Covert Stables. Champers Elysees will now run in his famous colours. Her next intended engagement is the [G1] Sun Chariot S. on Oct 3.”

Yoshida is no stranger to purchasing top-class race mares in Europe; other such buys in recent years have included the G1 Prix de Diane winners Avenir Certain (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) and La Cressonniere (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), as well as six-time Grade/Group 1 winner Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger})–who has given him a Japanese champion and Classic winner in Soul Stirring (Jpn) (Frankel {GB})–and the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. winner Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}), whose fourth foal, a Dubawi (Ire) colt, will be offered by Newsells Park Stud (lot 112) at next month’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

Champers Elysees has proven a homerun for Fitzwilliam Racing, which was established by Johnny and Orla Murtagh, Paul McKeon and Mark Flood and is comprised largely of Dublin-based business men and women.

“It is effectively a bunch of guys and girls from Dublin city who are in banking, investment or property, but liked racehorses,” explained Flood, a private equity investor with a family background in the Thoroughbred industry, his father and brother being the owners of Boardsmill Stud. “The first year we got 14 to 16 together and had somewhere north of half a million. We bought nine yearlings the first year, eight the second year and I think it was 10 the third year. From the 17 in the first two years I think there were 12 or 13 winners. Probably the highest rated was a horse called Baba Boom (Ire) (Thewayyouare). The third year there weren’t as many winners, but Champers Elysees was in there.”

In addition to Champers Elysees, the Fitzwilliam flagbearers have included the aforementioned Baba Boom, a three-time winner on the flat who was later sold to JP McManus to race over jumps; and Urban Beat (Ire) (Red Jazz), a £20,000 yearling from the first partnership who won a listed race last year at four and is still competitive at that level, having been second in Doncaster’s Listed Scarborough S. on Sept. 9.

“There is nobody get paid out of this; there is no management fee, it’s not a commercial enterprise in any way, it’s just a partnership of like-minded people and it’s 100% Johnny and Orla with Paul,” Flood said. “We’ve had around 30 horses in Fitzwilliam and then some of the people that got in with us have had other horses with Johnny, but they all love Johnny and Orla because they’re just so honest and hardworking; it’s like a breath of fresh air with everyone you’re dealing with. But it wouldn’t be alive now without Paul McKeon leading it as chairman.”

Flood added, “It’s similar to Highclere in the sense that it’s people in the city; there are some that aren’t but that’s the core profile, city workers who love their racing and they’re all passionate about it and they’re likely to go again for what’s going to be the fourth Fitzwilliam syndicate.”

Johnny Murtagh and Eddie Linehan purchased seven yearlings in partnership at this week’s Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale and were also active during the first session of the Goffs Sportsman’s Sale in Doncaster on Thursday. Flood confirmed that some of those yearlings would enter the Fitzwilliam syndicate, but that those designations would be made at the end of the sales season.

The Fitzwilliam group has in past years enjoyed days out at Royal Ascot and winners at the Galway Festival. While the celebration of Champers Elysees’s Matron win looked different than normal, Flood said the owners didn’t let the opportunity pass them by, enjoying a socially distanced barbecue.

“It was just an amazing day and the whole syndicate has been amazing,” Flood said. It’s been a great journey and they’ve all had a ball. People aren’t in it to make money, they’re in it for the fun and they’re getting an honest ride with Johnny, and Johnny and Orla have invested their own money in it as well.”

Selling Champers Elysees is the next chapter in the success story.

“The model was always to get them rated as high as they can, sell and recycle the money in the fund,” Flood said. “It’s really David and Goliath stuff. There are probably 1,000 yearling fillies every year, and she comes out on top at €28,000. You couldn’t make it up.”

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