Songhai scores on debut for Murtagh & Coen Songhai got her career off to the perfect start when scoring on debut for Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen in the Book Online @ Dundalk Stadium.com Maiden. The 8/1 chance, by Sands Of Mali and out of a winning daughter of Showcasing, cost €40,000 as a yearling and was prominent throughout in this six-furlong event. Coen, who rode 25 winners in Dubai this winter and was partnering his first domestic winner since returning home recently, pushed along his mount to lead at the furlong pole. She showed some signs of greenness inside the final 150 yards but kept on well to beat Temperance by three-quarters of a length with No Return a further two and a quarter lengths back in third. Murtagh said, "She was a very nice two-year-old. She picked up a couple of little niggly injuries, so it took us a while to get her on the track. "Her work has been good at home. "I thought coming up here first time out she just might need the run, but we gave her a jump out of the stalls there on Thursday with Ben and she jumped well. I think that helped her in getting a good position. "It looked like there were a few nice horses in the race, so hopefully she can keep improving - she should. "She's a very good mover. Ben just said not to go early on heavy ground (in new Flat season) and to wait until the ground dries out a little bit. She will go on decent ground in the summer." Quotes by Michael Graham
