Cotter hopeful of fruitful summer with stable stars Kieran Cotter's horses are in good order and after Koniag got up close home under Declan McDonogh to land the nightcap at Leopardstown on Thursday, the Portarlington handler had news of a couple of his stable stars. Impressive Navan maiden winner Sturlasson was an excellent second of 19 in the valuable Betfred 3YO ´Dash´ Handicap on Derby Day and Cotter reported: “He was just a bit unlucky in Epsom. He ran an absolute blinder and that was his first run in a handicap. “He actually broke in front but within two strides there were six or eight that had passed him. They are just that bit sharper. “Hopefully he’ll have learned a bit from that, and he will keep improving. He’s a lovely horse to have. “He’s in the five-furlong race (Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes Handicap) in Ascot but if it’s firm he won’t run.” Of his Group 2 winner Matilda Picotte who was below par when beaten seven lengths at the Curragh on Guineas weekend, he added: “She came home flat from the Greenlands. We had her bloods done and she had a minor infection. “She is kicking the walls out again. “There is a small chance that she might still go to Longchamp in a couple of weeks or else she will wait for the Prix Maurice de Gheest at the start of August. “She worked with Sturlasson before she went to the Greenlands and she gave him six lengths and beat him six lengths over five (furlongs). “She is just awesome and I was gutted after the Greenlands but we’ll live to fight another day.” Additional reporting by Alan Magee
