Six-shooter Kennedy hits Down Royal for three

Jack Kennedy won on his sixth consecutive ride today as the jockey's championship-leader completed an opening-races Down Royal treble on juvenile Timeless Piece (4/1) in the Coors Mares Handicap Hurdle.

Four-year-olds receive a 13lb weight-for-age allowance against older horses in January and while Timeless Piece lacked experience on handicap debut, today raced like a seasoned type and won comfortably by ten lengths from Stockdale

Kennedy had combined with trainer Gordon Elliott for today's earlier winners Staffordshire Knot and Western Fold and following his third, reported “I was worried about the ground, but she went away through it fine. I kept out onto the best of it really.

“She did it well, I'm happy that she got that done. She isn't a big filly so getting the weight is a big help on that ground.

"Our horses are in good form and riding good horses is a massive help."

The win moves Kennedy 18 winners clear (96-78) of Paul Townend at the head of the jockeys' championship, having ridden his recent winners at Navan on Saturday (on Ian Donoghue's St Denis's Well , at Thurles on Sunday (a double for Elliott) and today.

Kennedy's winning roll ended in the subsequent handicap hurdle, finishing fourth on O'Faolains Glory

Quotes from Michael Graham