Toccata Blue (centre) sees it out best under Colin Keane from In Salutem (left) and Six Of Hearts (nearside)© Photo Healy Racing
After the great level of performance from all the Lyons horses at Down Royal yesterday, which yielded a double for himself and stable jockey Colin Keane, it was a case of more of the same at Gowran Park with Toccata Blue bringing up the brace in the fourth.
There was drama at the start of this seven furlong contest as Fastidious got upset in the stalls and had to be withdrawn. This necessitated a 10 cent Rule 4 to all bets.
That'll likely matter little to those that backed Toccata Blue from 7/1 into 9/2 to add to the gains of the stable's Adroit in the opener.
They seemed to go pretty hard up front in this Best Of Luck Kilkenny Hurlers Handicap and ultimately the successful roan coloured son of Verglas saw it out best to see off In Salutem (the Friday evening scorer at Limerick) by half a length.
Lyons reflected: "No one could begrudge him that win as he is a consistent little horse. Colin said they went a bit mad, they went a bit quick, so he took his time and when he got there he was brave.
"Things are going well at the moment and I just wish I could keep entering horses in every race when it is going like this, and long may it continue.
"Everything is going well for the pair of us (Keane and himself), the horses are well and we will enjoy the good times as I'm sure we will have bad times."
The Stewards informed M.D. O'Callaghan, trainer that Fastidious (GB), would have to be recertified before being declared to run from stalls again.
C.D. Hayes, rider of Elusive Ridge trained by H.Rogers, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount stepped awkwardly on leaving the stalls.
(DM & EM)
