Keane and Lyons double up with Mr Wendell

Colin Keane and Ger Lyons completed a double on the afternoon at Gowran Park as Mr Wendell put up a fine front-running performance to land the Holden Plant Rentals Race.

The son of Excelebration won his maiden at this venue in July before disappointing in the Ahonoora Handicap at the Galway Festival and was subsequently gelded.

He was sent off a well-backed 4/1 chance (10/1 earlier in the day) against five rivals in this mile event, and kept on gamely under pressure inside the final furlong to hold off favourite Lord Rapscallion by half a length with Saltonstall just a neck back in third.

Lyons’ brother and assistant Shane said, “You can discard his last run in Galway as really he’s a good ground horse.

“We brought him home and gelded him, gave him a bit of time and he’s thrived since.

“He loves it around here. He’s plenty of speed and will mature into a fine horse as a four-year-old. He’s a big horse and is only filling into himself.

“He’ll get further than a mile no problem. He’s maned up and will improve with another year.”

Keane, champion Flat jockey in 2017, is now just five behind Shane Foley (70-65) in this year’s title race and Lyons’ added, “Colin is riding out of his skin. When he had to go into isolation for two weeks you automatically think that’s it and it’s taken the pressure off him and us.

“It’s going to be interesting.”

Keane and Lyons also teamed up to take the opening Irish Stallions Farms EBF Fillies Maiden with Talacre