Mark Nunan
Sonnyboyliston packs a punch for Coen
Sonnyboyliston and Ben Coen (yellow) winning at Gowran
© Photo Healy Racing
The Kildare Racing Club have been in the game a long time, and their coffers will have been nicely replenished after Sonnyboyliston landed a touch in the It’s Not Rocket Science MansionBet 3-y-o Handicap.
It may not be rocket science, but there are a few shrewdies in this particular syndicate who no doubt availed of the 11/1 on offer overnight about the handicap first-timer.
Returned favourite at 10/3, the gelded son of Power had run quite well in a couple of Curragh maidens last term. Ben Coen rode him handy and he forged on in the final quarter mile before seeing off the challenge of Meaningful Vote (7/1) by a length and a half, with a big break of nine lengths back to the front-running 3/1 favourite Sideshift
It was a second winner of the day for trainer Johnny Murtagh.
Winning jockey Ben Coen said: "He jumped well, travelled well and probaby wants a bit further. He liked the ground and handled the track well."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee