Mustajeer completes first & last race double for connections

Mustajeer provided his connections with a first and last race double, as he ran out a very easy winner of the Listed Finale Stakes.

Without a win in four previous starts this season, the Ger Lyons trained five-year-old ran some excellent races in defeat.

Second in the Listed Silver Stakes at the Curragh in June, he was fourth on his most recent start in the Ebor at York.

Sent off an 11/4 chance this afternoon, the son of Medicean raced in second under Colin Keane, and improved to lead with over three furlongs left to race.

He soon raced into a clear lead, and had matters under control from a furlong out, going on to score easily by six and a half lengths. Whirling Dervish (10/1) was a clear second best under Shane Foley for Jessica Harrington, while Romiyna (7/1) was another seven and a half lengths back in third. Riven Light was sent off the 9/4 favourite, and he finished a disappointing fifth, with Seamie Heffernan aboard this one for Willie Mullins.

Lyons said: "I thought he was a Group horse in a Listed race and he's been promising to do that all year. We've just had to be patient with him ground wise, and he ran a blinder in the Ebor.

"He's not as straight forward as he looks out there. He caught me unaware one day at the Curragh this year when I was saddling him up and he frightened the life out of me. After that we put the hood and ear plugs on.

"He's a work in progress and is going to be a lovely horse at this trip and a mile and six going forward next year. He's a nice horse to have on the team, and it's a lovely way to end the year."

Lyons, Keane and owner David Spratt earlier took the first race on the card with Erich Bloch

Additional reporting by Alan Magee