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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Keane doubles up on all-the-way Zarinsk

Sun 7th May 2023, 14:54

Zarinsk and Colin Keane win off the frontZarinsk and Colin Keane win off the front
© Photo Healy Racing

Zarinsk (11/2) made virtually all in the Group 3 Cornelscourt Stakes over a mile to bring up a Leopardstown double for Colin Keane.

The Kodiac filly was breezing away for Keane in the straight and increased the gap on the pursuers a furlong and a half down.

She was ridden over a furlong out when a healthy three lengths clear and kept on to see off a keeping-on Tarawa (15/2) by a length and a quarter. Aspen Grove (25/1) was the same distance back in third.

Ger Lyons said: “She’s honest and is surprisingly light compared to what she looks like. I don’t think ground is any issue to her. That ground is horrible, good ground would be no problem to her.

“It’s pure heart that keeps her doing that. I’d love her to relax more and help him get it a bit easier.

“It’s been all about black-type for her and we’ll go Group 2 with the hope that she matures into a horse for here on Champions Weekend.

“As Colin says, if she is going to be at the very top table it might be over in America.”

On his stable's form this season, he added: “I took a view that the ground was so bad that I would wait until after Punchestown. I’ve launched them this week and we’ve had four or five seconds.

“I’ve a nice bunch of two-year-olds but I don’t have good older horses. I sold or retired so many Stakes fillies' last year and it’s a reality check as they are hard to replace.”

Keane took the preceding race aboard Dermot Weld's Azazat

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

1st
11/2
Tote €6.50 €1.60
2nd
1.25L
15/2
€2.80
3rd
1.25L
25/1
€3.70
4th
nose
2/1Fav
About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.