Howd'yadoit win leaves Lyons 'gobsmacked'
Off the mark at Down Royal last time, the Nando Parrado colt powered up the hill to assert inside the final furlong, beating Unbreakable Duke by three-quarters of a length, with Summer Is Tomorrow a close third and favourite Jel Pepper, who boasted solid Group 2 form from Newmarket, back in fourth.
The placings of the second and third were subsequently reversed in a stewards' inquiry.
Lyons — who teamed up with Keane to land this race with Sacred Bridge in 2021 — admitted: "I'm gobsmacked, as I didn't think he'd be good enough.
"What an honest horse, he's been doing it well. We wanted to win a maiden en route to winning a nursery, but he (the handicapper) hit him with a mark that I thought was ridiculous for what I felt was a poor maiden.
"We came here because it was a good pot, and I said any bit of the prize-money is grand. Never in my wildest dreams did I think he'd win."
He added: "I'm delighted as Seán's horses are now bought for and named by his sons Eddie and James to keep them interested and they are here today. They are the next generation, so it's great. Seán has been with me from day one and it couldn't happen to a nicer guy."
Keane was completing a treble (at odds of over 38-1), which saw him close to within one of Dylan Browne McMonagle (55-54) in the title race.
Trainer Paddy Twomey is considering a trip to York for Bonus Time following her all-the-way victory over Kodilicious in the six-furlong Ironxcell For Energy Race.
First leg of Keane's treble, the 2-5 favourite dictated the pace and held on by a half-length, prompting her trainer to comment: 'The last day was her first run for us, her first handicap, and her first crack at seven furlongs. She ran really well, but we thought coming back to six would suit her.
'Colin looked after her and said she was waiting in front. He suggested she could be dropped in and feels that six furlongs is her trip. Her owners are Yorkshire-based, so she might head to the Ebor meeting.'
Keane was also successful when the Michael O'Callaghan-trained Noli Timere justified 11-4 favouritism in the one-mile fillies' maiden, drawing clear to beat Therewillbeglory by three lengths.
'She's a lovely filly, but has just taken time to get her head in front,' said O'Callaghan. 'The cheekpieces helped sharpen her up over the shorter trip. Colin says she's improving and that a mile is her trip. We'll hunt for a little bit of black type for her now.'
Meanwhile, Andy Slattery, who saddled a trio of winners in Galway, struck again when Smooth Tom (Cian Quirke) mastered sole rival Mozzies Sister in the featured Folow Us On Twitter Hurdle in Cork.
The versatile six-year-old tracked his rival, to whom he was conceding 18lb, and had too many gears for the mare in the closing stages, scoring by a length and a half.
Slattery, speaking from Naas, explained: 'He's been a great servant and that's his eighth win. We had a job done on his wind since Tipperary and it must have helped. He's in the Irish Cesarewitch and will probably go there.'
Phillip Enright took the riding honours, completing a double on the Eddie Power-trained Love At Sea in the Mallow Mares Maiden Hurdle and, when deputising for Seán O'Keeffe on Seán Aherne's 72-rated Border Boy in a division of the Follow Us On Instagram Handicap Hurdle.
Derek O'Connor was seen at his best when getting Tony Martin's Young Lucy home a half-length winner of the Kanturk Handicap Hurdle while Passenger took the bumper for Dermot Weld and Finny Maguire.
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