Champion apprentice Gary Carroll and champion jockey Johnny Murtagh with their trophys at the last meeting of the 2009 season at Dundalk

  PICTURE: Healy Racing  

Murtagh is champion as Smullen runs out of rides

JOHNNY MURTAGH became Ireland's Flat champion jockey of 2009  on Friday night after Pat Smullen's unlikely bid to overhaul Murtagh's five-winner lead failed when his first two mounts lost.

Going into Friday's final meeting of the season, the score had stood at 93-88 in Murtagh's favour. The new champion had to sit out the meeting due to a ban while Smullen tried in vain to close on the target.

It was a fourth championship forMurtagh following wins in 1995, 1996 and 1998.

The rider attended the meeting as a spectator with friends and family, and said:  “I always thought it would come down to the last six meetings  here. I was riding a lot of winners for a lot of nice people and I’m very  grateful.

"With the backing of Ballydoyle, Mr Smith, Mr Magnier and Mr Tabor, you  just have to point those horses in the right direction. I’m delighted to come  out the right end of a great battle with Pat. ”

Murtagh paid particular tribute  to his agent, Eddie Byrne, saying: “He puts in long hours picking out the best  horses for me to ride. I want to dedicate this win to him.”

Dermot Ahern, minister for justice, was due to present the season's title winners with their respective championship trophies.

Gary Carroll is champion apprentice. Carroll, 20, who rode his first winner at the Curragh over two years ago and enjoyed big-race success aboard Sesenta in the Ebor at York, leads Shane Foley 43-31.

Aidan O’Brien went into Friday with an unassailable lead in  prize-money, the criteria for deciding the trainers’ title.

The Ballydoyle trainer also heads the table in terms of the number of winners trained, 86 to Dermot Weld’s 66 and this is his 15th championship victory. The British title has also come his way four times during this period in 2001, 2002, 2007 and 2008.

In the 2009 owners' championship, Derrick Smith came out on top from Michael Tabor and The Aga Khan.