Livenka eases to Ballyhane Stakes success The Ger Lyons-trained Livenka (4/6) was a super impressive winner of the feature race of the day at Naas Racecourse, the €200,000 Ballyhane Stakes, for rider Colin Keane. Being drawn low has been a help for those in the sprint races at Naas, and this proved again with the Sheila Lavery-trained Maeda Matsu (100/1) finishing second, giving both horses drawn one and two first and second-place finishes. Livenka took up the race quite easily, and when Keane pushed the button on his filly, she responded well and came up the Naas straight to gain victory by three and a half lengths. Speaking after the race, trainer Ger Lyons said: “I’ve always liked her. It’s a nice pot to win with her en route to where we hope to be going with her, which is black-type,” said Lyons. “I put her in the Lowther this morning at second entries. If she’s alive and kicking, that’s a lovely option. “As with all the Juddmonte fillies, it’s all about black-type, but this is a nice pot to win en route to that. “We’ve been lucky in the race and I’m never too proud to take Joe Foley’s money! “You don’t know what she’s beaten, obviously, but you do know what she beat in Fairyhouse, that’s the plus because she (Star Of State) demolished the Leopardstown horses. “Regardless of what she beat, she’s a filly that I like. I made a mistake going seven; this is where she needs to be — at this trip. “We’ll concentrate on this trip for the rest of the year, and she’s a top-of-the-ground horse, which is typical of Bated Breath.” (Quotes from Gary Carson)
