Lyons and Keane double up in the claimer

It was maybe harder work than expected but 4/6 favourite Tony The Gent (from 10/11 on course) duly landed the Manguard Plus Claiming Race, in the process completing quick doubles for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane.

He got to the front inside the final furlong and was driven out to hold Duhallow Noelie (66/1) by half a length, with Lincoln (4/1) another three quarters of a length away in third.

Lyons had won a claimer at Gowran Park on Wednesday evening with another stable stalwart Tennessee Wildcat.

The winning trainer Lyons observed: “I agree with these claimers. I don't think these horses, when you add in the prize-money, would make the same money in the horse-in-training sales.

“If I support them, like I have last year as well, and people see them coming from our yard isn't it good business.

“Other than that you end up accumulating them in the yard. I need horses that can win and if they can't win this is a lovely out and we can move on to the next one.

“I think we should support races like this. I think he's a good quality horse for a race like that, as was the horse last night.

“Somebody will win a couple of races with him and drop him back into a claimer. I just think that's the way the system should work and I've no problem with that.

“The horse last night will go into a claimer in two weeks time again.

The winner, Tony The Gent, and the sixth home Red Avenger were both claimed by James McAuley to be trained by Denis Hogan.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson