Five Ger Lyons-Trained Horses To Follow for the Flat season - 'Big Guns to Fire' One of Ireland’s most straight-talking trainers, Ger Lyons is certainly one to keep on your side as the Flat season gets underway. The Meath-based handler has some big guns to fire this season and we have picked out five of his runners to put into your notebook for the coming season ahead. 1. Neptunes Staircase Off the track since the summer of 2024, Neptunes Staircase has clearly had his issues but if he comes back and his old ability remains intact, he's going to be one to follow in handicaps in the coming year. The son of Lope De Vega was last seen winning a 1m4f Roscommon maiden by nearly 10 lengths, seemingly appreciating his first venture on proper fast ground to gain his first victory. He has an entry for a 1m4f handicap at the Curragh on March 28th but he might need the run. Keep him onside this year. 2. Red Letter One of the stable's shining lights despite probably not yet quite achieving what some felt she might. The Curragh maiden winner was beaten only a length into fourth in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at two, before finishing seventh in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket the following May, albeit only beaten a couple of lengths. She notched up Listed and Group 3 wins at Killarney and the Curragh last summer but was a beaten favourite in the 1m2f Blandford Stakes when last seen. She will be more at home back down to a mile and she will figure in some top races this year. 3. Faiyum Possibly the most exciting runner of the lot is Juddmonte's Faiyum, who relished bottomless conditions when bolting up in a Group 3 over an extended 1m1f when last seen in September. Her only defeat in four outings came when second behind Barnavara at Naas in June but the daughter of Frankel will be a force to be reckoned with this season when she has her conditions. She could be a Group 1 winner in waiting when it's soft this term. 4. Geryon The best is yet to come for Geryon, who ran three lovely races as a juvenile and he could be a force to be reckoned with this season as he's expected to fill out. He won a good Curragh maiden on debut last August before finishing runner-up behind two Ballydoyle inmates in a pair of Group 2s at that venue. He could be a live outsider if he goes down the Guineas route and he will probably get a trip in time so the Irish Derby is also a possibility. 5. Res Ipsa Absolutely nothing went right for Res Ipsa when he was sent off favourite for his debut at Leopardstown in August. He was slowly into stride and was hampered three times when trying to make his effort before eventually being allowed to take it easy. This lad has an Irish 2,000 Guineas entry and is certainly worth following wherever he turns up next.
