Progressive Mashhoor runs them ragged off the front

Mashhoor was given an enterprising ride off the front by Ben Coen to upstage his better-fancied rivals in the Group 3 Paddy Power International Stakes at the Curragh.

He went off 6/1 for this 10-furlong contest but had race-fitness in his armoury against 5/6 favourite Al Riffa (off since September) and 4/1 Alfred Munnings (last seen in June 2022).

Mashhoor bounced out for Coen and kept building the pace throughout. The pair were a healthy four lengths clear of the 'jolly' Al Riffa half a mile out with the other three horses well off the pace.

Coen asked him to go and win his race in the final quarter of a mile and Mashhoor was well up to the challenge. The five-year-old Kingman gelding didn't given a ridden Al Riffa a sniff outside the final furlong and stormed in by almost five lengths.

Trainer Johnny Murtagh said: “It's really very special when Tommy Dowd comes to you in the parade ring and says 'I'm more nervous now than I was on All-Ireland day'. I said 'ah come on, sure we don't have anything to do anymore — it's up to Ben now!'.

“In fairness to the horse, you have to say he has improved immensely. He picked up a little injury last year and I suppose it stood to him this year.

“He's been very straightforward this year and the races have come for him at the right time.

“There was no pace today and I said to Ben to let him roll along. He's a leader, he leads the string at home.

“I knew when they turned in that they weren't going to get to him because he wouldn't stop. He won over a mile-and-a-half last time. It was a great ride.

“It's great for a syndicate to rock up on Derby weekend and be competitive in a very competitive Group 3.

“You can see the enjoyment it gives people, racing has that.”

On the sourcing of the winner he added:- “I picked him out in Tattersalls a few years ago, he was one of Hamdan Al Maktoum's and he came out of Michael Stoute's.

“They were fairly positive about him, he was lightly raced. I like Kingmans, they suit our system well.

“He goes in the paddock after he rides out. We put him out the other day and he was bucking and squealing. I said to the lads today that I knew it was a good race, but he was ready to run for his life.”

Coen said: "Johnny and I were talking yesterday morning and we were looking at the race. There was no pace and I asked a few of the boys did they want to go and they said 'no'.

"This lad wants a good, even mile and a-quarter pace - keep building every furlong. He's uncomplicated so we let him roll away.

"Rhythm is the main thing with him and I was able to get him into a beautiful one, stepping it up each furlong and, when I gave him a kick in the belly turning in, he wasn't going to stop.

"He's improving this lad.

"The syndicate (Brunabonne Syndicate) are a great bunch of people and he has been fun for them, so hopefully he stays going the right way.

The progressive Mashhoor won a handicap at Cork in April and a Listed contest over a mile and a-half at this track in May.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson