CHAMPION-elect Colin Keane equalled Joseph O’Brien’s Irish flat championship record of 126 winners for a season at Dundalk last Friday week night.

Fittingly the achievement came for longtime boss Ger Lyons in the colours of one of the yard’s main backers, Sean Jones.

Torn made the most of her opportunity after getting in as a reserve in the opening Irish EBF Median Sires Series EBF Fillies Maiden.

The Bated Breath filly was sent to post the 13/8 favourite in the seven-furlong contest and was produced with a strong run by Keane inside the final furlong to record a three-quarter-length win.

The winning rider said afterwards: “It’s brilliant to get it. I’m in a very lucky position as I ride for a lot of great people.

“I have great people around me, have a very good agent (Ruaidhri Tierney) and I’m riding nice horses.

“All those things together make this happen. It’s been an unbelievable season, the way it has gone from strength-to-strength and we’ve had some nice winners in between.

“To get to this number is just unbelievable to be honest.”

Trainer Lyons’ brother and assistant Shane Lyons added “It’s a massive thrill for us for him to get the record in Sean Jones’ colours because he’s been our main stalwart.

“Sean will get a kick out of it and we’ll get an even bigger kick.”

Jack Rose looked a smart prospect for Eddie Lynam when quickening up impressively to land the colts’ and geldings’ maiden over seven.

O’Reilly’s Rose

Chris Hayes wore the colours of Lady O’Reilly on the Slade Power colt who came to lead a furlong from home before asserting to post a two-and-a-half-length win.

Lynam said of the 11/8 favourite: “I’m showing my age now because I trained his sire, the dam of the sire (Girl Power, born in 2004), the great-dam of the sire (Rumuz, 1994) and the grandam on the dam’s side (Red Feather, 2001) who was second in a Moyglare for me.”

He added: “He’s a smart colt. We picked out this race a long time ago because of the good prize money (€15,000 to the winner) and also the 10 grand bonus.”

MIKEY Sheehy notched a quick double on the card initiated by Monzoon in the Story Of Dundalk Stadium Book Handicap.

The Ross O’Sullivan-trained gelding led over a furlong out in the seven-furlong contest and stuck on gamely to prevail by a head from Rocky Dreams in a tight finish. The 10/1 shot was recording his second win of the season and third of his career.

“He won around here last year and he loves a quick surface. It’s great to have him, the owner John Bowden has been very good to us,” said O’Sullivan.

Acclaim wins

Sheehy was back in the winner’s enclosure half an hour later when Irish Acclaim ran out a convincing winner of the Michael Cooney Memorial Handicap.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained gelding travelled noticeably well down the straight and went on over a furlong out to beat stable-mate Baldomero by a length and three-quarters at odds of 10/1.

Assistant Brendan Powell said: “It’s nice to get his head in front. He travelled beautifully and it never really looked like he was going to get beaten.

“Mikey said he was always confident on him today and he’s riding well at the moment.”

There was also a brace on the card for Ronan Whelan and he came in for plenty of praise for his two winning rides.

Eagle’s Flight was delivered late in the BetVictor Handicap as he got up on the line to record a short-head victory in a tight three-way finish.

Bad luck

Michael Halford, trainer of the 8/1 winner, said: “It worked out lovely for him. He’s a horse that has been plagued with bad luck, bad draws and getting boxed in in big fields.

“I said to his owner (Johnny Connaughton) one of these days it’s going to fall right for him and today was the day. He’s in the horses-in-training sales.”

Whelan brace

Whelan’s other winner Pin Your Hopes also put himself in the shop window when claiming the concluding mile-and-a-half handicap.

The Andy Oliver-trained gelding led over a furlong from home and the 5/1 co-favourite held the challenge of Tudor City by half a length.

“I thought Ronan gave him a great ride – I left the tactics up to him and he designed it himself,” said Oliver.

“He’s a very sound, clear-winded horse and I would put nobody off him. He has schooled, although we didn’t venture that far with him.”

GETAWAY Queen bounced back to form when recording a fourth success at the venue in the second division of the apprentice handicap over the extended 10-furlong trip.

Luke McAteer sent the 7/2 shot to the front passing the two furlong pole and she galloped on strongly to post a length-and-a-half win over Fryerns.

Ken Budds trains the mare for owner Mark Landers and he said: “I don’t know what happened the last day (finished 11th), it was just one of those days. She’s fabulous, that’s seven wins now and she’s flying.”

The first division of the race was won by the Ger O’Leary-trained Cursory Exam who opened his account at the 14th attempt for Lance Bloodstock Limited.

Donagh O’Connor produced the Due Diligence gelding with a strong run to lead inside the final furlong and record a length success at odds of 10/1.

“It’s just taken a while to come down to his level now.

“ Donagh gave him a super ride, I thought they went very steady and he was in the right position the whole way,” said assistant Adrian Joyce.