Cannonball and Colin Keane in full flow© Photo Healy Racing
Ger Lyons, Colin Keane and Qatar Racing completed a double in Roscommon this evening when Cannonball took the last.
Cannonball went off the 9/10 favourite from Red Label at 2/1. The market got it right as Cannonball made all to see off Red Label by two and three quarter lengths.
Lyons, Keane and Qatar Racing landed the opening fillies' maiden with Ball Girl
Ger Lyons said: "This is a lovely front-runners track and we felt a mile and two was as short as we needed to go. We are here because of the ground and I just said 'jump out and ride him like the best horse in the race and if they beat you they beat you'.
"That's what he's done and he's riding with great confidence all year. I'm delighted that he's had a good double here tonight. They ran like two hairy goats in Cork!
"I felt if we won here then we could think about our Stakes race. But he's very ground dependant and hopefully one of the big weekends ahead, if the ground is right, he'll partake. He'll only be going on soft ground."
On Colin Keane's championship prospects, Lyons said: "We are going to have our work cut out to hold off the challenge that is going to come from Pat (Smullen) from here on in. If we get the championship that would be fantastic and all we can do is keep doing what we are doing.
"For me he needs to be 20 clear at this stage to have any chance of holding that team (Dermot Weld) when they kick in. Pat also has the best outside rides."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
