Murtagh hangs up saddle

Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh, winner of three Derbies, four Irish Derbies and five Gold Cups, has quit the saddle to concentrate on his training career, he said yesterday. Murtagh, 43, called time on a 26-year career on the back of a successful 2013 in which he rode a string of big winners. “I went for a run the other day and during it I started to think about the amount of effort that I have to put in this season and I just don’t think I have the time to give to being a jockey anymore,” Murtagh said in the “We have a lot on this season, with 24 new stables here and 45 horses riding out. I didn’t want to give riding 30 per cent and training 70 per cent. All my life it has been 100 per cent or nothing.” Murtagh rode more than 100 Gr I winners and became top jockey at Royal Ascot for the fifth time in June. He won the Derby at Epsom three times in six years with Sinndar (2000), High Chaparral (2002) and Motivator (2005). Murtagh took out his training licence in May 2013.

Godolphin cleans house

The racing manager and three vets are leaving their roles at Godolphin as the horse racing organisation is restructured after a doping scandal. The changes come less than a year after the downfall of Godolphin trainer Mahmood al-Zarooni, who was banned for eight years by the British Horseracing Authority for giving his horses anabolic steroids. An investigation, requested by Godolphin owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, recently ruled that Al Zarooni acted alone, but made recommendations to overhaul the management structure. A statement released on behalf of Godolphin said it was introducing changes to “streamline and improve management oversight.” Simon Crisford is leaving his role as racing manager, but will become global racing adviser. The statement added “three veterinarians have resigned,” without naming them.

Guineas goal for Shamus Award

Shamus Award was considered unlucky not to win the Caulfield Guineas in the spring but the valuable colt gets his chance to make amends in another Guineas at Flemington tomorrow. An eye-catching third in the Caulfield Guineas last preparation, Shamus Award then came out and won the Cox Plate at his next start as a maiden. Jockey Craig Williams didn’t ride Shamus Award in the Caulfield Guineas because of suspension but did plenty of lead-up work and insists he is in the same sort of condition heading into the Gr I Australian Guineas (1600m) tomorrow. He said Shamus Award had improved from his first-up third to Moment Of Change and Guineas rival Eurozone in the CF Orr Stakes after partnering him in an exhibition gallop last Friday and in trackwork on Wednesday. “He’s definitely come on,” Williams said. “In his attitude, even though he knows that he is good, he has all of a sudden started switching on and is a lot more relaxed. Very similar to how he was going into the Guineas in the spring.” Shamus Award is on the third line of betting at $6.50 behind CS Hayes Stakes winner Hucklebuck ($3.70) and Eurozone ($4.40) after a field of 14 was declared on Wednesday.

Criterion fits the bill

Sydney trainer David Payne figures a step up in distance and a different weight scale give Criterion a genuine shot at winning tomorrow’s Gr I Australian Guineas. The Sir Owen Glenn-bred and raced Criterion is one of two runners for Payne in the 1600m race at Flemington and Criterion heads into it after a first-up fourth in the Gr III CS Hayes Stakes (1400m). Under the conditions of the CS Hayes, Criterion carried 57.5kg and gave 2kg to the winner Hucklebuck and third-placed The Quarterback, while he had 3.5kg more than runner-up Prince Harada. “It was a good run and he can only improve,” Payne said. “He meets them at level weights and he’s looking for the extra couple of hundred metres.” Payne gave fellow Guineas hopeful Rock Hero, a first-up second in the Autumn Stakes at Caulfield, a barrier trial at Cranbourne on Monday to have him ready, which he won. Criterion has gone winless since the Gr II Todman Stakes last March but has been competitive at the top level.

Epingle claims Cups double

Trainer Mick Kent will turn his attention to rich Sydney races with Epingle after the mare became the first horse in a decade to claim the Hobart and Launceston Cup double. Epingle was sent out the $2 favourite in Wednesday’s A$225,000 Launceston Cup (2400m) on the back of her three-length Hobart Cup win and she proved superior again. The victory earned her trainer and owner an extra A$50,000 each as a bonus offered to any horse who could claim the double. Zacielo in 2004 was the last horse to complete the double. Craig Williams rode Epingle like the best horse in the race, settling one off the fence at the tail of the field from a wide gate before setting the mare alight from the 600m. She hit the front at the top of the straight and held her advantage to defeat the Mark Riley-trained Gold To Go by three-quarters of a length. Tasmanian star and defending champion Geegees Blackflash finishing third. Kent said the Gr I Sydney Cup (3200m) was on the agenda for Epingle and The BMW (2400m) was also a possibility.

Tetsuko in Slipper contention

One-time Golden Slipper favourite Rubick is out of the A$3.5 million race but stablemate Tetsuko has kept herself in the running for a start with a determined victory at Randwick on Wednesday. Trainer Gerald Ryan confirmed Rubick had been sent for a break after he suffered his first defeat with a fourth to Earthquake in last Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes. “He went to the paddock this morning and he will stay out until May,” Ryan said. “He’d had enough.” While the autumn is over for Rubick, Tetsuko’s is just beginning. The youngster showed enough ability at the early-season trials to start favourite in the Gimcrack Stakes last spring, finishing runner-up to Alpha Miss after leading. She was immediately spelled with a view to teaching her to settle before her seasonal return. Tetsuko did that on Wednesday, taking a sit behind the speed and angling clear to overpower leader Sheezalady and claim the Big Sports Breakfast Plate (1100m) by a half length. “She’s in all the big races. I don’t know whether she’s made huge improvement since the spring but we’ll poke along and see how we go,” Ryan said, naming the Gr II Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on March 15 as Tetsuko’s next target, three weeks before the Golden Slipper.

Jockeys fined for smoking

The tax on cigarettes got even higher for jockeys Nash Rawiller and Jim Cassidy at Randwick last Saturday when both were fined $100 for smoking between races. Cassidy said he had never heard of the rule prohibiting smoking but stewards produced rule 91 to close the case. Stewards caught the pair when they were looking for Rawiller to question him over the unplaced performance of Boban in the Apollo Stakes and were told he was outside. The riders were told the case came under the rule which says jockeys must remain in the jockeys’ room once on course. The fines amount to the equivalent of about five packets of cigarettes.