Double tops for Meath riders

Two prominent Meath jockeys achieved respective doubles over the past week at meetings on both side of the Irish sea. Johnny Murtagh did the business at Ascot while Paul Carberry worked the oracle at Kilbeggan on Monday evening. Carberry has every reason to like Kilbeggan as he showed Tom Horn home in three-mile T&V Novice Hurdle on the Westmeath track. The Noel Meade-trained gelding out-paced the favourite Presenting Nama to win by two-and-a-half lengths. The horse is also owned by Meade. To make it a memorable evening for Carberry he went on to win the Tyrrellspass Novice Chase on Leonard Whitmore's well-supported Casey Top. A former point-to-pointer Casey Top crossed the winning line the 11/4 second favourite. The win was an added, unexpected bonus for Carberry as he had to step in to take the place of Bryan Cooper who was due to take the ride but was forced to stand aside because of a broken finger. Murtagh, who is looking to carve out a career away from Ballydoyle, showed he has lost little of his old sparkle when he steered 9-4 favourite Frederick Engles to success in the Windors Forest Stakes for trainer David Brown. He notched up his second success at the famous Royal Ascot showcase when he showed Deacon Blues home in the Wokingham. Deacon Blues is trained by James Fensshawe and won at odds of 15-2. Murtagh travelled back to Ireland and chalked up another double at the Leopardstown meeting on Thursday evening on 6-1 shot Rubina in the Irish Stallion Farms FBD Maiden and he also steered Creekside home in the Growise Handicap at 5-2. Other local trainers to enjoy success at the weekend included Ger Lyons who sent out the 6-1 Gin Rummy to win the Rainbow Telecom EBF Median Auction Maiden at Down Royal on Saturday. At the same track on Friday evening the Pat Martin-trained Donatis Comet took the Mencap Flat Race also at 6-1.