Sonnyboyliston Dubai-bound for new trainer, Charles Byrnes

The new owners of 2021 Irish St. Leger winner Sonnyboyliston have decided on a trainer change, leaving Johnny Murtagh for recent Cesarewitch-winning trainer Charles Byrnes ahead of a Dubai Gold Cup bid.

Limerick-based Byrnes won the Cesarewitch in October with Run For Oscar and now looks to have another star on his hands in the form of Sonnyboyliston. The six-year-old won the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap in August 2021 and followed up by winning the Group 1 Comer Group International Irish St. Leger less than a month later. He was last seen finishing second in the Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap in Riyadh last year. 

Byrnes is one of Ireland’s leading dual-purpose trainers, with winners at Newmarket, Royal Ascot, Aintree and the Cheltenham Festival.

Speaking exclusively to What’s The Craic DubEye, Byrnes is excited by the prospect of a Dubai Gold Cup campaign, “Very fortunate to get him and definitely Dubai (Gold Cup) would be a possibility.”

Byrnes also revealed that he has Sonnyboyliston’s half-sister (by Starspangledbanner) in training and is an exciting prospect ahead of the 2023 flat season.

Speaking about some of his other stable stars, Byrnes is targeting a Dubai campaign with his Cesarewitch winner Run For Oscar, while Cheltenham-hope Blazing Khal remains 50-50 at this stage, but other options remain, “You’ve Aintree, Punchestown, and you also have France.

Byrnes’ Shoot First hit the headlines when winning at Cheltenham in November for the Dubai Cowboys Syndicate and is currently one of the favourites for the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival.

Stay tuned to What’s The Craic DubEye for a special feature on the Dubai Cowboys in the coming weeks as they get ready for the Cheltenham Festival in March! You can follow us on Instagram HERE