Kodiac Prince strikes for the Clearys

The rain in recent days came at the right time for soft-ground specialist Kodiac Prince who landed the first division of the 47-65 handicap. 

Soon tracking the leaders in third, the 9/4 favourite was ridden to lead two furlongs out and kept on well to defeat Pink Socks by three parts of a length.

"That's his father's day present!" winning rider Rory Cleary quipped. 

Winning trainer Tom Cleary added: "We were expecting it. In Killarney the last day he was just brought wide at the wrong time and had three or four lengths to make up. He was only beaten half-a-length in the end and so we were just unlucky there.

"He was in on Wednesday at Limerick where it was good to firm but turned out soft. I was wondering did we do the wrong thing after that, but it worked out anyway.  

"He runs well around Gowran Park and he deserved it as he has been running well this year. Rory has him off to a tee and it was good that he was free to ride. 

"He is better than ever this year and hasn't had a bad run. He is improving with age, like myself!"

Quotes from Donal Murphy