Search
Cheltenham 2024
- Main Site
- Cheltenham Home
- Cheltenham Cards
- Cheltenham Results
- Cheltenham Offers
- Cheltenham Odds
- Cheltenham Tips
- Cheltenham News
- Prestbury Cup
- Cheltenham Videos
-
Cheltenham Statistics
- Leading Trainer
- Leading Jockeys
- Leading Owners
- Previous Years
- Previous Appearances
- Breeding Profile of Winners
- Lady Jockeys at The Festival
- Leading Jockey Award Winners
- Most Successful Jockeys of All Time
- Current Jockeys Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Jockey In..
- Leading Trainer Award Winners
- Most Successfull Trainer All Time
- Current Trainers Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Trainer In..
- Cheltenham Trainer/Runner Index
- Desktop Site
Cheltenham 2024
- irishracing.com
- Cheltenham
- News
- Keane seals century on 'nap of the day'
Michael Graham
Keane seals century on 'nap of the day'
Colin Keane with Barretta
© Photo Healy Racing
Barretta made an impressive debut at Navan to bring up 100 winners on the season for Colin Keane.
Ger Lyons' three-year-old Australia gelding contested the Donate To The Coast To Curragh Cycle In Memory Of Pat Smullen Maiden over a mile.
The 5/2 shot made good headway on the outer with a quarter of a mile to travel and readily assumed the lead with a furlong and a half to go.
He powered clear in the final 100 yards to put five and a half lengths on the runner-up Moracana (33/1). Equus Deus was half a length further back in third at 11/2.
Assistant trainer Shane Lyons said: "We're delighted that we were the ones to give Colin his ton up.
“This horse was our nap of the day going racing as his work has improved in the last month. He'll get a mile-and-a-quarter no problem.
“He was very green so the race will bring him on. He handled that ground no problem and will get further so there is a lot of improvement in him. We'll look for a winners race for him.”
Keane said: "It's a brilliant feeling and the year has been going great. To hit 100 in a full season is hard enough, so to do it so quickly is unbelievable really. But, look, we're riding for great people and I've great people around me and I've a very good agent so I'm very fortunate.
"It makes it that little bit extra special that it's for Ger and it means he's only one off a thousand winners. Hopefully we'll get that one ticked off soon for him.
"Ger has got such a lovely bunch of horses, the connection with Mr Weld has helped and we're coming in for a lot of spares with other people. The long and the short of it is that I'm riding for very good people and I've got a very good agent."
With reference to Joseph O'Brien's record of 126 winners in a season, he added: "There's only one target now! I won't be too greedy - 127 winners will do me just fine!"
Additional reporting by Gary Carson