Johnny Murtagh quits Ballydoyle job

It said: "Johnny Murtagh has spoken to (Coolmore owners) Mr John Magnier, Mr Derrick Smith, Mr Michael Tabor and (trainer) Mr Aidan O'Brien today and informed them that he will not be renewing his contract to ride as stable jockey to Coolmore/Ballydoyle next season, 2011.

"He would like to thank Mr Magnier, Mr Smith, Mr Tabor and Mr O'Brien for the wonderful and successful three years that we all enjoyed together."

Since his appointment at Coolmore in 2008, Murtagh has enjoyed a string of Group 1 victories for the Irish-based outfit.They include two Classic successes on Henrythenavigator in 2008, two Ascot Gold Cup wins on Yeats and an Irish Derby victory on Fame And Glory. The jockey's last notable success for the Coolmore operation came aboard Roderic O'Connor in the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud on 31 October.

The job, previously occupied by Kieren Fallon, is widely regarded as a prime post in racing in Britain and Ireland.

Murtagh was last in action for O'Brien over the weekend at the Breeders' Cup meeting in Louisville, where they had four runners but drew a blank.

William Hill make Pat Smullen the 6-4 favourite to land one of racing's top jobs. French-based Belgian Christophe Soumillon is next best at 7-2, with Ryan Moore 5-1 and Fallon, who was given the job back in 2005, is 7-1 from 9-1. William Hill's Tony Kenny said: "Pat Smullen remains the favourite for the position, although we did see solid money for both Kieren Fallon and Colm O'Donoghue."

Meanwhile, wonder mare Goldikova is to stay in training as a six-year-old following her historic third successive Breeders' Cup Mile success.

She took her Group 1 tally to 12 thanks to her latest win at Churchill Downs and connections believe it is worth having one more campaign with her. However, owners Gerard and Alain Wertheimer and trainer Freddie Head will not map out a programme for Goldikova until she returns to Chantilly after spending the winter at stud.

Turning to National Hunt racing, Hey Big Spender and Big Fella Thanks could both be Hennessy Gold Cup-bound after fighting out a thrilling finish to the Weatherbys Bank Graduation Chase at Carlisle.

The latter, fourth in last season's Grand National, was making his first start for Ferdy Murphy, having been switched from the care of champion trainer Paul Nicholls by his owner Harry Findlay.Hey Big Spender (5-2 jt fav) was Colin Tizzard's first ever runner at the Cumbrian track and connections must have been worried as he refused to settle in the hands of the trainer's son, Joe, for much of the contest.

Big Fella Thanks was given a typically patient ride by Graham Lee but travelled and jumped with notable zest throughout and was still going ominously well as the field straightened up for home. Tizzard was the first to commit for home, but he looked at the mercy of Big Fella Thanks as he cruised up to take the lead between the final two obstacles. It seemed he had secured victory after jumping the final fence, then he wandered around on the run-in and Hey Big Spender came back to score by a length.

Stan James were impressed by the performances of both horses, cutting both to 14-1 from 20-1 for the Newbury showpiece on 27 November.