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Veteran Akula a welcome winner for underrated conditional Murtagh

Lorcan Murtagh being congratulated by Tony Dobbin after winning the 2016 Betfred Eider Chase on Rocking Blues
Lorcan Murtagh being congratulated by Tony Dobbin after winning the 2016 Betfred Eider Chase on Rocking BluesCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

A year ago conditional rider Lorcan Murtagh, 18, hit the headlines when winning the Betfred Eider Chase on Rocking Blues for trainer Rose Dobbin. It should have been the boost his career needed but it hasn't worked out that way for his win on the Barry Leavy-trained Akula in the selling hurdle was just his third of the season.

That is only part of the story, though, because he missed six months after taking a horrible fall at Hexham at the end of May, when he broke his tibia and injured ligaments in his knee.

He showed he has lost none of his dash as the ten-year-old Akula looked to be struggling down the far side, but the young rider forced him back into contention in the straight and the pair went on to score by three-quarters of a length.

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