Likedbymike provides Byrne with a sentimental victory The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Abergwaun Stakes was taken by the well-backed favourite Likedbymike (6/1 - 11/4F) at Cork over the straight five furlongs. The daughter of Inns Of Court backed up and maintained the form of her latest run, where she beat the subsequent third-place horse here by the same distance. Slowest out of the stalls, Colin Keane tracked the early pace in the stands-side group and was the last to commit over a furlong out. Michael Byrne's filly quickened up at the furlong pole to lead, and she settled this contest with relative cosiness as she was always holding Erosandpsyche (11/2), who was beaten by three-quarters of a length. Longtime leader Focaccia faded into a two-length third. "That's unbelievable. It means everything really," said Byrne. "She deserved that, she's been knocking on the door a good few times. "She won her maiden here so she obviously loves it here. "We gave her a break after she won in Naas and it probably did her good. She got great confidence from winning in Naas, it was a nice handy run. "We've only two horses to run and we ran the two of them today. "Breeze-ups are our main thing. We couldn't get this one into a breeze-up so we had to run her. "There is a fillies Listed race at the Curragh at the start of next month so that's probably where we'll go next. "She doesn't mind an ease in the ground, she handles it. "This doesn't happen too often to us." Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
