Cork teenager Helen Keohane put the cream of the Flat jockeys room into the shade when partnering Queen Astrid to take the Listed Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown yesterday evening.
Keohane, who recorded her initial success on Cedar Wells at Clonmel just over a year ago, displayed a cool head and good judgement of pace when making virtually all on the Liam Browne-trained filly. The 18 year old Bantry girl is apprenticed to Browne, and this 19th victory of her career obviously meant just as much to her boss.
'Helen is a very dedicated rider, and a keen worker. The spell she had in Dubai over the winter did her a lot of good, and remember it's only her third year riding. I'm delighted for her,' said Browne, who added, 'I've only five in training at the moment, and Helen is one of the main reasons I kept going this year.'
Follow benefitted from a step up in trip when taking the six furlongs fillies maiden under Michael Kinane. The Aidan O'Brien-trained two-year-old made all, and stretched clear in the straight to beat Acciacatura by two lengths. The O'Brien/Kinane partnership followed up in the finale when Mingun, a daughter of champion racemare Miesque, quickened up nicely at the furlong pole to land the mile maiden.
O'Brien was also fancied to take the seven furlongs juvenile median auction maiden with the odds-on Mahogany, but he could find no extra when headed over a furlong out by Jemmy's Brother. Ger Lyons' charge, who attracted some support from 8/1 to 7/1, drew clear under Pat Cosgrave to beat Marjell by two and a half lengths with the 4/6 favourite weakening back in fourth.
'He was a bit unlucky at Ballinrobe last time where he was in the stalls for a long time and slowly away. He was trying to give the first two there a lot of weight, and acted well on the soft ground here,' said Lyons.
Permit holder Dermot Murphy, who numbers John Murtagh among the clients of his gardening business, teamed up with the former champion to land the seven furlongs handicap with Twiggy's Sister. The five-year-old mare was prominent throughout to beat favourite Bricks and Porter by a comfortable length, and Murphy will now 'try to get a bit of black type with her'.
Legend Has It got his handicapping career off to a winning start when sweeping home on the stands side under Pat Smullen to beat Fascinating by a length and a half in the nine furlongs 0-70 event. Billy Lee was given a three day ban for excessive use of the whip on third placed Pilgrims Progress.
Alan Magee
