Murtagh in dreamland as Alakazi sparks QEII dreams

The consistency of Johnny Murtagh’s Alakaziwas rewarded with a brilliant victory in the Tonybet Solonaway Stakes at Leopardstown.

The mount of Ben Coen was sent off 7-2 after some fine placed efforts in useful company since shedding his maiden over course and distance in April and although facing what on paper looked his stiffest task to date, he produced a performance which suggests bigger days could lie ahead.

Ridden with patience in the early stages, he swooped to the front in decisive fashion once the field straightened for home and kept on galloping to register a convincing length and a quarter success.

“You dream about days like today,” said Murtagh.

“I’ve been telling Pat Downes (of the Aga Khan Studs) all year how good this horse was.

“He was a bit of a work in progress. He was a bit aggressive earlier in the year, Ben was saying he’s not on the bridle or off the bridle.

“His last few bits of work have been great, he’s learning on the job. We were a little bit disappointed he didn’t win the last time, but we knew coming here that he was going to be a different proposition.

“He’s a beautiful horse and a beautiful horse to train. I think he can go all the way.”

Alakazi holds an entry for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on British Champions Day and Murtagh is inclined to let the colt take his chance.

He added: “He’s in at Ascot. He probably doesn’t want the ground too soft, Ben said he handled that ground really well. I think he deserves a shot at it, he’s after winning a Group Two.

“I’d love to keep him for next year as well.”

It was a fine afternoon for Alakazi’s handler, who also landed the valuable Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sovereign Path Handicap with Rahmi.

The 14-1 scorer provided apprentice jockey Rory Mulligan a red-letter winner on the big stage with his trainer full of praise for the ride.

Murtagh said: “Rory is one of my apprentices and he’s been working hard.

“I said to him to take his medicine (from stall 16), cruise around behind them and get a bit of cover as best you can and then in the straight peel him to the outside.

“I had four horses and I was shouting for each one of them at different stages. It was a kick great and when I saw him coming down I knew he was going to be the winner.”