Three for Lyons & Keane as Neptunes makes the breakthrough

Colin Keane and Ger Lyons rounded off a fruitful evening at Roscommon, taking the concluding Ladies Day Here On Monday 8th July 2024 Maiden with Neptunes Staircase

It was a case of three runners, three winners for Lyons, who earlier combined with Keane to take the second and fifth with Serious Notions and Sumptuary Law respectively.

Second on three of his seven previous starts, Neptunes Staircase was sent off a well-backed 13/8 favourite (touched 3s) and was settled behind the leaders by Keane.

Sent to the front early in the straight, the Lope De Vega four-year-old increased his advantage when ridden inside the final two furlongs, going on to record a bloodless nine-and-a-half length success.

One of six Luke Comer-trained representatives in the line-up, newcomer Boxing Great (100/1) ran on well to snatch second on the line, with Endless Pursuit (8/1) a head back in third.

"It's been a very good night's work and we're delighted with that," assistant trainer Shane Lyons said.

"We're delighted with him, we thought he would have broke his duck before now but he's been running on heavy ground over extended trips.

"Maybe with weakness and everything it's just took time for him to be able to get it together on real beautiful ground here.

"It's proper good ground and the ground has held all the way through the day, fair play to Roscommon.

"He's a beautiful horse. We'll get him home now and see how he comes out of it. Now that he's strengthened into himself he's the horse that we thought he was."

STEWARDS REPORTS

S.T. McCullagh, rider of Casino Loutraki trained by Luke Comer, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount made an abnormal respiratory noise.

J.A. Powell, rider of Star With A Spark trained by Luke Comer, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount didn't breathe efficiently throughout the duration of this race.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson