Champ Keane doubles up to earn high praise from Hogan

Champion jockey Colin Keane had got an earlier well backed favourite home in It's All A Joke and he achieved something similar when doubling up in the finale at Dundalk on Nulife in the McGeough's Bar & Restaurant Handicap.

It's All A Joke was for Keane's boss Ger Lyons, and in the 'night-cap' he climbed aboard Nulife (11/4 into 7/4 favourite) for Denis Hogan. He was deputising for an ill Pat Smullen.

Keane bossed things from the front on Nulife, and he accounted for King Of Aran and Pretty Little Liar by a length and a quarter and a neck.

"Colin gave him a super ride. Pat (Smullen) rode him here last week and told us to do that, drop him back two and bounce him out," revealed Hogan.

"He got the pace perfect tonight and got him away from the gates and clean on to the rails. It was a super ride.

"It's great that all the horses keep running well and I couldn't be happier with the way things are going at the moment.

"We had said after last Friday that we'd go jumping and forget about here but with the ground being the way it is we have to wait until it dries up to go back jumping.

"He looks like he's probably well treated over hurdles for the summer now and he'll be a good fun horse for the summer."

(GC & EM)