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Crystal Black has Ballyroan Stakes option at Leopradstown

Crystal Black and Colin Keane Crystal Black and Colin Keane
© Photo Healy Racing

Royal Ascot winner Crystal Black could make his reappearance in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown before connections decide on a possible Melbourne Cup bid.

Trainer Gerry Keane said: "We had a great day (Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes in Royal Ascot) and a great party on the Friday night in the lads' hotel! We came home on Saturday evening.

"A great horse for us. It is unbelievable the way he has turned the corner, he was wrong last year for a lot of it and at the end of the year he came right.

"He got beaten in the (Irish) Cambridgeshire and then we changed a few things after that and started training him out of the paddocks. He has never been beaten since.

"Next day will tell the tale - he has done his job anyway.

"We are thinking about the Group 3 Ballyroan in Leopardstown unless the ground was like flint. He's 111 now, so where else do you go?

"There's talk about Melbourne (Cup), but we would have to decide after that (Leopardstown).

"The lads would consider it as they were there (Flemington) before with True Self.

"He's a right horse."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham.

About John O'Riordan
John has worked for the Press Association since 2022. He also writes a weekly column for The Irish Field and is a regular contributor to the Irish Racing Yearbook. He has previously written for the Racing Post, Irish Examiner and Irish Daily Mirror. He has been involved in racing for over three decades; having experience as a syndicate member, sole owner and breeder.