18+ | Commercial Content | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure
icon
Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

Koniag comes good on first start at three

Thu 6th Jun 2024, 20:36

Koniag (nearest) comes through to beat Artful Approach (centre) & NakaseroKoniag (nearest) comes through to beat Artful Approach (centre) & Nakasero
© Photo Healy Racing

Kieran Cotter registered his fourth winner of the campaign, as Koniag claimed the concluding Legacy Wine Bar 3yo Handicap under Declan McDonogh.

A E55,000 yearling purchase, the Kodiac gelding failed to make a significant impact as a juvenile, with his best effort coming at Naas in September.

Last seen finishing down the field at Dundalk, the 58-rated bay was sent off a 9/1 chance this evening having touched 20s earlier.

Settled in mid-division on the outer, the Gigginstown House Stud-bred victor made good progress from early in the straight and was ridden in third over a furlong from home.

He ultimately stayed on best in the closing stages, getting up in the final strides to deny Artful Approach (8/1) by a neck, with Nakasero (10/1) a further three-quarters of a length back in third.

Returned the 4/1 favourite (from 6s), the Henry de Bromhead-trained Zenato was another two-lengths back in fourth.

"He was a bit backward as a two-year-old. We got a few runs into him and he ran quite respectable in a few nurseries. He was always going to improve as a three-year-old," Cotter commented.

"He's a good honest horse and we'll see where we go from this. Hopefully he keeps progressing as the year goes on. He didn't have a great draw and did it the hard way.

"We fancied him a bit coming here and he's a horse that you wouldn't mind running over hurdles in time."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

1st
9/1
Tote €10.80 €2.80
2nd
nk
8/1
€2.00
3rd
0.75L
10/1
€3.00
4th
2L
4/1Fav
€1.70
About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.