18+ | Commercial Content | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure
icon
Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Keane seals century on 'nap of the day'

Sat 28th Aug 2021, 15:53

Colin Keane with Barretta Colin Keane with Barretta
© Photo Healy Racing

Barretta made an impressive debut at Navan to bring up 100 winners on the season for Colin Keane.

Ger Lyons' three-year-old Australia gelding contested the Donate To The Coast To Curragh Cycle In Memory Of Pat Smullen Maiden over a mile.

The 5/2 shot made good headway on the outer with a quarter of a mile to travel and readily assumed the lead with a furlong and a half to go.

He powered clear in the final 100 yards to put five and a half lengths on the runner-up Moracana (33/1). Equus Deus was half a length further back in third at 11/2.

Assistant trainer Shane Lyons said: "We're delighted that we were the ones to give Colin his ton up.

“This horse was our nap of the day going racing as his work has improved in the last month. He'll get a mile-and-a-quarter no problem.

“He was very green so the race will bring him on. He handled that ground no problem and will get further so there is a lot of improvement in him. We'll look for a winners race for him.”

Keane said: "It's a brilliant feeling and the year has been going great. To hit 100 in a full season is hard enough, so to do it so quickly is unbelievable really. But, look, we're riding for great people and I've great people around me and I've a very good agent so I'm very fortunate.

"It makes it that little bit extra special that it's for Ger and it means he's only one off a thousand winners. Hopefully we'll get that one ticked off soon for him.

"Ger has got such a lovely bunch of horses, the connection with Mr Weld has helped and we're coming in for a lot of spares with other people. The long and the short of it is that I'm riding for very good people and I've got a very good agent."

With reference to Joseph O'Brien's record of 126 winners in a season, he added: "There's only one target now! I won't be too greedy - 127 winners will do me just fine!"

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
5/2
Tote €3.60 €1.40
2nd
5.5L
33/1
€6.00
3rd
0.5L
11/2
€1.90
4th
2.5L
11/10Fav
About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.