Johnny Murtagh is aiming to deliver a knockout blow with Sonnyboyliston in the $2.5m Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap at The Saudi Cup meeting.
Named after the world champion heavyweight boxer of the 1960s, the five-year-old ended last season with victory in the Group 1 Irish St Leger.
His defeat of former Melbourne Cup hero Twilight Payment in the Curragh Classic last September came hot on the heels of his win in the prestigious Ebor Handicap at York.
Sonnyboyliston, owned by the Kildare Racing Club, will travel to Saudi Arabia later this month for the 3000m Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap at the world’s richest race meeting after pleasing his trainer in a racecourse gallop at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Murtagh said: “He galloped 1m2f (2000m) with a lead horse. He had a nice blow – the ground was on the slow side and it made him work.
“We were very happy with him in the morning so he’s on target. We’ve got a couple of weeks left to put the finishing touches to him but he’s in good shape.
"The weather has been very good in Ireland over the winter, it’s been very mild and he hasn’t missed a day. He’s fresh and well.
“He improved right through his three-year-old career and last year he was a bit stronger again.
“He came back in from his break in great shape and he’d put on a bit of weight. He’s only five and he’s a slow maturing horse so he should be in his prime.”
A possible trip to Australia for the Melbourne Cup was shelved in favour of aiming Sonnyboyliston at the Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap, which takes place on Saturday 26 February.
It will be his first try at a distance beyond 2800m, but Murtagh has few concerns about the slightly longer trip, or the travelling involved.
He said: “We’re putting him on a plane, travelling over to Saudi Arabia where there’s a different climate but I think he’s the kind of horse who should take everything in his stride. Nothing seems to bother him – he’s got a good mind.
“We’re really looking forward to getting him over there. It’s a good starting point for the season. It’s a huge event and we’re lucky enough to have horses good enough to go to these races now.
“We’re stepping up in distance – it’s the first time he’s going beyond 1m6f (2800m), but we think it’s going to suit him. We’re hoping that stepping up in trip will bring out that extra couple of pounds of improvement.
“It’s a handicap and maybe there’s an improver in there that he has to give a bit of weight away to, but he’s a Classic winner. He’s a big horse so weight shouldn’t bother him, but you’re always worried that there’s one in there that has a few pounds in hand.”
Murtagh is no stranger to King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. The five-time Irish champion jockey rode at the track during his days in the saddle and he is looking forward to returning to the venue.
He revealed: “I rode in all the big races like the King’s Cup, so I know how good the dirt track is and how good the facilities are.
“I loved the track, it’s a very, very good dirt track and I’m looking forward to seeing the grass. The reports about it say it’s a beautiful turf track. It’s fair, it’s galloping and it should suit Sonnyboy. I just think the Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap is a race that could suit the horse really, really well.
“The Saudi Cup meeting is an unbelievable event, and the prize money is huge. We haven’t too many horses to go to these big events, so when you have them you have to go. He deserves to be there, he deserves to take his chance.
“They have a great history and a great passion for horse racing in Saudi Arabia. It’s certainly taking off and catching the attention of everyone on this side of the world.
“With the huge prize money on offer, if you’ve got a horse good enough, Saudi is the place to be at the end of February.”
Jockey Ben Coen was on board when Sonnyboyliston won both the Ebor Handicap and the Irish St Leger. He will fly out to Saudi to partner him again. In both big race wins the star stayer wore cheekpieces, but Murtagh is unsure whether he’ll use the headgear this time.
He said: “Ben’s going over to ride him. He’s been here all over Christmas and since then he’s been riding him. He rode him work at Leopardstown and he was very happy with him.
“Sonnyboy sometimes races lazily and Ben just said maybe cheekpieces would help him travel a bit better. He’s won his two big races with them on, but we haven’t discussed it yet. I’m not sure he needs them, but they do help so I’m not sure we’ll run him in them stepping up in distance.”
The Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap has attracted some of the world’s top stayers. The $2.5m contest, which has more than five times the prize money on offer in last year’s Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, has received entries from all corners of the globe.
Among the possible runners for the Group 3 prize are horses from Ireland, Great Britain, Japan, America, Germany, France, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Argentina and Sweden, as well as locally-trained contenders from Saudi Arabia.
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