Tom Weekes
Championship-chasing Keane completes treble
Everyhouronthehour and Colin Keane
© Photo Healy Racing
Colin Keane is firmly in pursuit of leader Shane Foley at the head of the Jockeys' Championship and today completed a treble at Gowran as he steered Everyhouronthehour to win the second division of the MansionBet Beaten By A Head Handicap.
Keane fought out an epic battle with the late, great Pat Smullen to become Champion Jockey in 2017 and now has strong claims of a second title, as Everyhouronthehour's win moves him four behind Foley, 66-70, at the head of this year's Championship.
Keane had earlier steered Talacre and Mr Wendell to score for his employer Ger Lyons and completed the hat-trick on the William Ross trained half-length winner Everyhouronthehour.
Mullingar based trainer Ross later stated “he’s a cracking little horse. My parents own half of him and it’s a pity they couldn’t be here but they will be watching in.
“We have been waiting for a bit of nice ground, and he ran well the last day at the Curragh with a tongue tie for the first time.
“Seamus Heffernan rode him one day here and said to try and avoid soft ground and run him on as quick a ground as you can find.
“It’s worked out well and we had a top man on him.
“Dundalk is after tightening up a bit so we might head back there shortly. He likes Dundalk but anywhere that has quick ground he’ll run.”
Quotes from Gary Carson