Sonnyboyliston wins St Leger for Murtagh & Co

Johnny Murtagh became a Classic winning trainer at the Curragh today as the former Champion Jockey's Sonnyboyliston landed the Comer Group International Irish St Leger, under 19 year old jockey Ben Coen.

The 14-runner race featured Search For A Song seeking a hat-trick of wins, and Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment and was led at a strong pace by 2020 Epsom Derby-third Amhran Na Bhfiann

Sonnyboyliston chased the leaders, moved to lead with a furlong to race before staying on well to beat Twilight Payment by three parts of a length, with Search For A Song finishing sixth.

Purchased by Murtagh for €26,000 for the Kildare Racing Club as a yearling, the son of Power today collected €290,000 in prizemoney, to add to £300,000 for his Ebor win at York last month.

It was Murtagh's third success in the race having dead-heated as a jockey on Jukebox Jury in 2011 and was assistant to trainer Tommy Carmody with Royal Diamond in 2012. Murtagh suffered a reverse as Ottoman Emperor disappointed in yesterday's English St Leger, but today quipped “on Friday I was very bullish but I was pretty deflated last night. Unlike Mayo who have to wait another year, I just had to wait until today!”

He added “racing is a great game, it’s a great leveller. You can never get too high, you can never get too low. I’m just a front man to a lot of people who do a lot of hard work. I’m so proud of everybody behind the scenes and my family also. It means a lot to win a classic on your local track.

“This horse never disappoints and I thought he did very well to win today. It looked like a proper race and he had a good position all the way. He comes off the bridle but I thought from two furlongs out Ben looked confident on him. He got not a battle but he never lacks in a battle. Ben was brilliant.

“Ben is very good on the big day, very cool and strong in a finish. He’s everything we need and a huge addition to the yard.

“This horse is after winning an Ebor and now an Irish St Leger. I can’t say enough about the horse and enough about Liam Clarke and the Kildare Racing Club. They have been great supporters of mine from the word go.

“It would take a fair offer to take him away from the owners now but the Melbourne Cup is worth €2.5m. It mightn't be for him this year but he’s only four and could end up down there for us sometime yet.”

Coen, a nephew of trainer Andy Slattery, added "I couldn't have asked it to go any better, we jumped and he got a lovely tow into the race. They turned it into a real staying race and this lad keeps improving and keeps finding a way to win.

"Every day we step him up, he keeps on finding and it's a day I'll never forget.

"This is my first proper year as number one jockey to Johnny and we've had a few good spins in England but I really wanted to get this Group 1 winner. For it to be a Classic and for Johnny is unbelievable."

Quotes from Alan Magee