Thursday Horse Racing Tips: Murtagh the man for Leopardstown 35/1 double

• King George V Cup one of the highlights this evening at Leopardstown

• New trip sure to unlock improvement with first selection

• Alan Dudman's double on Thursday pays around 35/136.00 on the Sportsbook 

Leopardstown - 17:25: Back Zahrann @ 5/16.00

6 (6)

Zahrann (Ire)

• J: Ben Martin Coen
• T: John Patrick Murtagh, Ireland
• F:

A good renewal of the King George V Cup today at Leopardstown awaits - a race unsurprisingly that Aidan O'Brien has farmed with five wins since 2016 and he's doubly represented here, but hopefully Johnny Murtagh can be the disruptor with his Night Of Thunder colt Zahrann.

The new trip of 1m4f should be of benefit judged on his blistering Cork Maiden win, and his pedigree offers positives too that the distance will be well within range.

At Cork he couldn't have been more impressive and it was a win that the Mallow patrons could have pasted in their hats as he scored by seven lengths, and he really showed his class and stamina pulling away down the straight after being niggled before the turn.

Cork form tends to stand up pretty well and his debut effort was a good one too finishing second to O'Brien's Mississippi River - hence why he was sent off at odds of 1/31.33 last time.

It's quite a step up in class here but he seems to have the tools, plus he holds an entry in the Irish Champion Stakes further down the line.

He's a horse to really look forward to today in a fine race.

Leopardstown - 20:05: Back Wertpol @ 5/16.00

1 (17)

Wertpol (Ire)

• J: Ben Martin Coen
• T: John Patrick Murtagh, Ireland
• F:

Very much a Murtagh day for the column with the second pick in Wertpol - and while a 5/16.00 price in a field of 20, it's a handicap more on quantity rather than quality.

Wertpol is rated a mere 71 himself and steps up to a handicap for the first time this evening, but he showed plenty of improvement to finish second in a Ballinrobe Maiden last time which was considerably better than his first two starts.

That came over 1m2f so it looks a bold move stepping back down to 1m for this. The rain forecast today could be a help or a hindrance as we're early days with him to ascertain which surface suits best, but if the ground slows up, he looks to be more stamina than pace.

It was fairly hard work for his second at Ballinrobe as he was constantly pushed along to keep in touch, but the pace was slow and steady and he only came alive into the straight to stay on with menace.

He was also about six wide into the turn and found the track on the sharp side.

This selection is more to do with the dearth of the form for his rivals and off top weight and 71, Ben Coen will need to be cute here from stall 17.

May winners at BSP:

Falakeyah 2.66
Cinderella's Dream 2.58
Seraphim Angel (place) 2.79
Sea Invasion 3.42
Jabbar (place) 2.72
La Trinidad 6.35 (place)
Carmers 2.77
Glamorous Breeze 7.92
Socialite 4.75
Opera Ballo 2.54
Sunlit Uplands 6.0
Glory Hyde 5.7

June winners at BSP:

White Clover 9.04
Petra Celera (place) 3.25
Jabbar (place) 4.84

Now read more tips and previews for Thursday here!