Progressive Colt Leads Home 1-2 For The Gurkha

San Martino (2c The Gurkha - Euphrasia, by Windsor Knot) led home a 1-2 for freshman sire The Gurkha in Friday’s mile maiden at Killarney on Friday.

A promising fourth on debut over the same trip last month, the Aidan O’Brien-trained was ridden to chase the leader and led approaching the two furlong marker. Racing clear approaching the final furlong, he kept on well to win by five lengths under Wayne Lordan, as newcomer Dolce Notte (The Gurkha) stayed on for second.

Speaking after the race, the winning rider said, “Going a mile today, he travelled away and quickened on that ground. He is going to be a grand horse going up in trip next year.”

Owned by Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier and Michael Tabor, San Martino was bought by MV Magnier as a yearling for €260,000. From the first crop of top-class miler The Gurkha, the chesnut was bred by Sonessa Bloodstock out of Group 3 winner Euphrasia, whose Caravaggio yearling filly sells at the Goffs Orby Sale next month.