Wilderness and Ben Coen win the MansionBet Handicap© Photo Healy Racing
There are some in the game who are dubious about the significance of stable form, but the results this week of Johnny Murtagh’s string would provide a fairly potent argument to the contrary. Wilderness (6/1) was a seventh winner from his last 13 runners for the Curragh handler as the daughter of Cityscape, in first-time headgear, made just about all in the first division of the 45-65 handicap over the extended 1m1f at Gowran.
It was a 150/1 treble for the trainer on the day, after Sonnyboyliston rsquo;s win in division one of this heat, and the two-year-old Measure Of Magic rsquo;s win at Tipperary.
It was fairly straightforward for Ben Coen (a quick double) after his mount broke very smartly to overcome a wide draw, and after being brought stands’ side in the home straight on the yielding ground, she had three and a quarter lengths to spare over Pillmaker Hill (11/2) , with 5/1 favourite Mountain Fox back in third.
“I’d a bad draw but she pinged the gates with me and I let her roll away in front.
“She quickened turning in and got a bit lonely in the last furlong but did it well in the end.
“She was idle on her own but I’d say if another one came to her she probably would have gone on.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
