COLIN Keane stretched his lead at the top of the jockeys' championship to five with victory on Les Arceaux at Fairyhouse.

Keane always looked to be confident on the Johnny Murtagh-trained 7/2 joint-favourite and set sail for home on the turn in division two of the Christmas Parties At Fairyhouse December 16th Handicap.

He never looked likely to be caught and bounded clear to pass the post with five and a half lengths in hand of Nannys Well.

Keane now leads Pat Smullen by 91-86.

Truffles made every post a winning one in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap.

Although Sheila Lavery's four-year-old had just the one career success under her belt coming into the race, it did come on her only previous visit to this venue, and Gavin Ryan was positive from the outset.

The 7lb claimer got the fractions spot-on because when Enjoy Life and Its All For Luck tried to challenge, Truffles pulled out more to beat the former by a length and a quarter at odds of 6/1.

Castrogiovanni was the most experienced heading into the Gillian Carey 'AIRO/Irish Field Service To Racing Award Winner' Median Auction Maiden and he strode right away.

Joseph O'Brien's 11/2 chance took the lead off Bronze Age with a furlong and a half to travel, and stormed clear to triumph by five and a half lengths.

Jockey Donnacha O'Brien said: "He handles the ground and drawn one was a big help. I got a nice tow into the race and he picked up well."

STAMINA

Stamina won the day for Decision Time in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

John Kiely's bumper scorer was settled a bit worse than mid-division as Sin Sin and market leader Alaykha battled it out at the head of affairs.

Emmet McNamara cruised into contention on the 2/1 chance and although she possibly didn't find as much as expected off the bridle, she still saw out her race well to dispose of Alaykha by a length and a quarter.

McNamara said: "She did it easily, and hopefully she can continue to go forward. John picked out a good race for her."

The application of cheekpieces helped Rince Deireanach show her true colours in the Shelbourne F.C. Race Day Nursery Handicap.

Out of the frame in four previous attempts, Jim Bolger's 5/1 shot was in a battle with Art Of Unity at the furlong pole but Kevin Manning put her into overdrive and she went five lengths clear of staying-on favourite Ellona.

Bolger's travelling head man Ger Flynn said: "Kevin said she travelled real well. She'd ran on soft ground before at Roscommon so we knew that she handled it.

"She ducked about a furlong and a half down. It's not the first time that he's ridden a horse around here that ducked before. But he showed great balance after she did a little jink.

"She went right away in the end, and he said in that ground you have to keep them up to it. It's very testing and she just plugged away and stayed really well."

DROP IN TRIP

Thiswaycadeaux showed her appreciation for a drop in distance by landing the Big Picture Communications Maiden.

The Willie McCreery-trained Wayyouare filly improved between her first couple of outings, but both over this came over further than a mile.

Back at six furlongs, she burst into contention just inside the final furlong and kept on to account for Massa Lubrense by half a length.

Jockey Billy Lee said of the 6/1 chance: "She jumped a bit slow and it took me a little time to get into the race. The six (furlongs) would be on the short side for her, and I was a bit worried about the ground but she handled it well.

"The race sort of fell apart a bit a furlong out and she kept galloping and was only getting stronger as she went to the line. It's nice to get a win out of her and hopefully she will step into handicaps and be alright for next year."

Colin Keane looked to have the Racing Again November 7th Handicap sewn up when shooting clear on Harry Speed, only to be worn down by 7/1 chance Ask Katie.

Winning trainer George Webb's assistant Gerry Murray said: "She ran a cracker at Gowran the last day where she got hampered. She really needs a mile but likes that ground and stayed on well."

Niall and Tom Madden teamed up to land the Christmas Parties At Fairyhouse December 16th Handicap (Div 1) with Aa Bee See (4/1).

READ THE FULL FAIRYHOUSE REPORT IN NEXT WEEKEND'S EDITION OF THE IRISH FIELD