Keane beats Lyons in Dundalk opener

Colin Keane got the better of his boss Ger Lyons, as Pub Talk led home Monophonic in the opener at Dundalk, the William Hill Pick Your Places Claiming Race.

A winner at Down Royal on his penultimate start, the Noel Meade-trained victor was fifth on his most recent outing and went off a 5/2 chance this evening, drifting from early shows of 6/4.

Settled in mid-division, the son of Mondialiste made steady headway on the approach to the straight and got to the front a furlong and a half from home.

Soon ridden, he edged left inside the final furlong but kept on well to hold off the late effort of Monophonic by three-parts-of-a-length.

The runner-up was returned at 5/1 under James Ryan, while there was a further two and three-parts of a length back in to the well-supported Trident Star (9/4f from 11/2) and Wayne Lordan in third.

The winner is owned by highly successful breeder Ken Parkhill of Castletown Quarry Stud.

Meade said in the aftermath: "There's not too many around like him (Colin Keane) now!

"It was a pretty moderate race - look we put him in there and if he is claimed, he is claimed. We thought that was sort of his level.

"He has won two for us as a two-year-old, so we will leave it at that. I'd say if he is not claimed he will come back here for a claimer again.

"I would imagine he will be claimed because he did that quite well."

Pub Talk (E20,000) was later claimed by James McAuley, ,while Sashay (E12,000), who finished fourth, was claimed by Michael O'Callaghan.

Additional reporting by Michael Graham