Pat Smullen and Colin Keane© Photo Healy Racing
This evening’s meeting at Dundalk will be dominated by the enduring battle between Colin Keane and Pat Smullen in the race to become champion jockey.
With just three meetings of the season remaining, Keane holds the upper hand as he bids for his first championship. With 94 winners to his name, he leads nine-time champion Pat Smullen by seven in the title race as both men head to Dundalk this evening with a full book of rides.
The penultimate meeting of the season also takes place on Ireland’s only all-weather racecourse next Friday evening, November 3, with the finale at Naas just two days later, on Sunday, November 5.
Keane, the champion apprentice in 2014, has dominated the senior riders’ division throughout the season and continues to enjoy his best year. Stable jockey to leading trainer Ger Lyons, the 23-year-old Meathman rode 77 winners, his previous best tally, when second to Pat Smullen in the championship in 2016.
Pat Smullen was first crowned champion jockey in 2000 and is chasing a tenth title. He has been champion jockey for the past three years. The highlight of his season came at the Curragh on Longines Irish Champions Weekend when he took the Group 2 Moyglare "Jewels" Blandford Stakes on Shamreen, trained by Dermot Weld.
Tonight’s book of rides -
COLIN KEANE (94 winners)
5.10 Nigg Bay 0A5.40 Overcoming 0A6.40 Artistic Melody 0A7.10 Melisandre 0A7.40 Bid Adieu 0A8.10 Creative Talent 0A8.40 Ben Rumson 0APAT SMULLEN (87 winners)
5.10 Peace Officer 0A5.40 Vivianite 0A6.40 Tonkinese 0A7.10 Cloudy Miss 0A7.40 Frima 0A8.10 Linger 0A8.40 High Kicker
