Strong Johnson flexes his muscle to land illustrious Rockingham prize for Cotter

Kieran Cotter has emerged as a springer in the training ranks over the past couple of years and he secured a career-high success when Strong Johnson clung on by two short-heads in a frantic climax to the Rockingham Handicap.

Cotter has been training from his Laois base for a quarter of a century, but recently teamed up with Danny Murphy, who previously trained successfully in the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Britain. It's a partnership that has certainly produced results, and success in this prestigious €75,000 event with the 5-2 favourite suggested there will be more to come.

"I'm in shock to be honest," said an emotional Cotter after the David Mooney-owned Strong Johnson prevailed in a ding-dong finish under Colin Keane, with Jungle Jane and Urban Beat just losing out.