Ahern targets Petingo for Galway winner Galway festival winner Counting Coup is on course for Champions Weekend later this month, with trainer Maurice Ahern also eyeing the Cesarewitch with the lightly-raced six-year-old. Counting Coup has raced just four times but has won twice and, at Galway, was the nose winner from 91-rated Taipan of the 1m6f Rockshore Refreshingly Irish Race. Ahern says “Counting Coup is going for the Petingo Handicap and it is good to be going with a 'live' one. He's in great form as well and will go for the Cesarewitch after this and then he will go jumping." Ahern’s 97-rated Perry Mason will also go hurdling this winter, having landed the €50,000 Keadeen Hotel Handicap on Guineas Weekend in May. Ahern reports “we let Perry Mason off for three weeks and he got freshened up. He's after a busy campaign and we just put him away. He'll be going jumping after the Flat season. We just said we would take our break when we could get a break. “He'll appreciate the bit of juice in the ground as well and he's well schooled.” Quotes from Michael Graham
