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MURTAGH REFLECTS ON AGA KHAN SPLIT.

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...e&sub=&day=Fri

Johnny Murtagh has described his abrupt split with owner the Aga Khan last season as "a horrible moment" in his career.

Murtagh was retained rider for the renowned owner until a shock split last August which was officially due to "differences between the two parties".

Murtagh, who was sidelined by injury at the time, owns stables on the Curragh from where Tommy Carmody is based, and the split came just days after Carmody's Ursa Major beat the Aga Khan-owned and John Oxx-trained Hartani in a Curragh Group Three.

"John Oxx's (Hartani) was hot favourite and ours was seven or 8-1. I thought he might run a place and it just happened that Ursa Major came and pipped the Aga Khan's horse," he told RTE 1's Ear To The Ground programme.