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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Kingswood has eye-catching options

Fri 21st Apr 2023, 16:22

Kingswood stretches onKingswood stretches on
© Photo Healy Racing

Irish Derby entrant Kingswood showed a good attitude to get off the mark in the extended 10-furlong maiden in Cork.

The grey son of Roaring Lion was ridden by Ronan Whelan to go after Intellotto and Nation's Call a furlong and a half from home.

He unleashed his winning move between horses and struck the front inside the final furlong. He really put his head down and ran on well to pass the post with a length and a quarter in hand at 5/1 from 7s. Intellotto (4/1) finished second and was a short head up on 7/4 favourite Nation's Call.

Trainer John O'Donoghue said of the half brother to St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov: "He was a big-framed two-year-old and a little light but we were a touch disappointed with how he finished off at the Curragh, but we got him on to easier ground the second time and saw the horse we knew.

"Today was the plan for a long time and roll on the summer. 

"I was afraid of Mr Weld's horse (Nation's Call) but quietly confident and saw him coming in in the betting, which I anticipated and it is plan executed.

"I'd imagine he'll run in a Derby Trial and he is in the Irish Derby and I put him in the Grand Prix de Paris. I think he will be better with some cushion under him."

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes

1st
5/1
Tote €7.40 €1.70
2nd
1.25L
4/1
€1.60
3rd
shd
7/4Fav
€1.10
4th
5L
3/1
About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.