It was hardly surprising to hear trainer Sean Byrne speak fondly of his charge, Lean And Keen after he'd landed the Cork Racecourse Handicap under Pat Smullen.

Smullen looked happy that he had a bit in reserve from the front all the way up the straight. He was proved right too as the Antonius Pius gelding went on to beat Zeftan by a length and a half.

A second market leader to oblige, after Scream Blue Murder in the first, the 11/4 shot prompted Byrne to say: "I was a bit afraid of the ground but he handled it great.

"He's a real honest horse and Pat says that he has such early pace. He's never run a bad race and we'll look for something in Galway now." (TW & EM)