Keane hoping for 'second-half' return for Crystal Black Trainer Gerry Keane is hoping to get his stable star Crystal Black back racing for the second half of the season, as last year’s Royal Ascot winner has recently had surgery for a wind problem. The seven-year-old memorably won five consecutive races last summer, including the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes and the subsequent Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes and finished a seven-lengths fourth to Galen on his reappearance run in April. Keane reports “Crystal Black had a hobday operation and started back yesterday morning. He was on the walker for two weeks and started back riding this morning. Next week he’ll be back cantering so we’re probably looking at the end of July or start of August. “I actually entered him in the (Irish) Leger. I don’t know whether I’m being ambitious or not but if you aren’t in you can’t win. If it looks like he’s good enough to run in it he’ll run in it and it’ll probably save us travelling with him. That’s the plan at the minute.” Regarding his breathing issue, he added “he always had a bit of a wind issue but got away with it up until now. Colin wasn’t happy with him in the Alleged Stakes, even though he ran well and ran a nice race for his first race back. “He just said that his wind had gotten worse since last year. Now was the time to do it rather than having to stop halfway through the season. We’ll have him for the second half.” Quotes from Gary Carson
