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Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

Keane completes 87/1 treble on Line

Sun 16th Oct 2016, 18:19

Toe The Line (right) stays on best under Colin Keane to beat Shall We (centre) and Sea SwiftToe The Line (right) stays on best under Colin Keane to beat Shall We (centre) and Sea Swift
© Photo Healy Racing

Colin Keane had an afternoon to remember at Naas, as Toe The Line completed an 87/1 treble for him in the Listed Anjaal EBF Bluebell Stakes.

The John Kiely trained seven-year-old won at Gowran on her seasonal reappearance in April, but failed to follow-up in four starts since.

She was last seen finishing a fine third over two miles in the Listed Loughbrown Stakes at the Curragh, and back to a mile and a half today she was sent off a 9/2 chance.

Settled in mid-division by Keane (who was earlier successful on Wayside Flower and Intimation , she was pushed along entering the straight.

She was ridden behind the leaders with over a furlong to race, staying on well inside the final furlong to lead close home, going on to score by a length. Shall We who drifted slightly right inside the final furlong, had to settle for second under Chris Hayes for Michael Stoute at 6/1. Sea Swift was another length back in third under Pat Smullen for Dermot Weld at 9/2, while the 11/4 favourite Hibiscus (5's this morning and from 7/2 on-course) was sixth under Donnacha O'Brien for his father Aidan.

Kiely said afterwards: "I'm delighted. I thought it might be a bit short for her.

"She was third in it last year. I thought she'd need further but the little bit of a cut in the ground helped her at the end. She stays.

"She's a very, very useful mare to have and I'm thrilled for the owners (the Lillingston Family).

"I don't know where we'll go now and I might give her a holiday."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
9/2
Tote €5.20 €2.00
2nd
1L
6/1
€2.20
3rd
1L
9/2
€2.10
4th
2.25L
66/1
bf
nk
11/4Fav
About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.