Kojin

Kojin did well to win the nine-and-a-half-furlong handicap at Clonmel on Thursday. Smartly away and quickly into a prominent position, Peter Fahey’s horse travelled well through his race for Sam Ewing. Third and travelling well along the inside as they raced down the hill towards the home turn, he came under a ride early in the home straight, but he responded well to pressure. The leader Zabeir moved across to the inside rail at the two-furlong marker, with the result that Kojin had to be switched to deliver his challenge from off the rail, but he quickly recovered his momentum. Into the clear on the run to the furlong pole, he stayed on strongly to hit the front with 150 yards to run, and he stretched out willingly to repel the late challenge of Dare To Flare on the outside, going away from his rivals in the closing stages of the race.

It was a good performance by Peter Fahey’s horse under less than optimal conditions. He stays a mile and a half well, so he did well to quicken as he did off a moderate pace over nine and a half furlongs. A winner over a mile and a half at Tramore on his previous run off a 4lb lower mark, a 5lb hike for this takes him up to a mark of 86, but he is progressive enough to take that hike in his stride, and he should do better now stepped back up to a mile and a half and racing off a stronger pace. Trainer Peter Fahey mentioned the 12-furlong handicap on Irish Champions’ Weekend as a potential target, and he will be of interest if he takes his chance in it. Last season, the bottom weight in that race was rated 80, so there is every chance that he will get into the race all right. The trainer has his horses in tremendous form. Four of his last five runners have won, and the other, the evergreen Peregrine Run, finished second in the Ulster Cesarewitch on Friday.
Clonmel, 1^st September 2022