THE success of Faiyum in the feature Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies’ Race was the highlight of a double for Colin Keane.

A winner on debut at Naas in March, the Ger Lyons-trained bay was widely expected to follow-up in this four-runner contest and was returned the clear favourite at 30/100.

Settled in second, the Juddmonte-owned victor was pushed along to close on the front-running De Novo from the two-furlong pole.

Edging to the front inside the final 200 yards, she ultimately kept on well from there to score by two and a half lengths.

“We don’t know what we learned. We will go home, take stock, talk to everybody and see where we go,” assistant trainer Shane Lyons commented.

“Colin’s first thoughts were that she was still very green and she will only improve from that. Her ultimate target is blacktype.”

Keane later completed his brace on John Murphy’s Love Sonnet (7/1 from 10s) in the Brehon Hotel Handicap.

Stepping up

Starting off in handicap company and stepping up in trip to a mile and three, the Shaman bay was given a patient ride by the champion jockey.

Making good progress from early in the straight and getting to the front with two furlongs to go, she soon brushed aside the challenge of stable companion and eventual third Eagles Dream, ultimately coming home a length and a half to the good.

“She was good and the step up in trip was a help. Colin said she could even go further again,” George Murphy, son of the winning trainer, disclosed.

“We’ll see what happens, but she might run again at Leopardstown on Friday.

“Olivia Hoare and her sister Paula Hewins (owners) are good supporters of ours, so this is great.”

QUEEN Of Thunder provided Ken Condon with his first winner in over 10 months, as she made the breakthrough in the Outlook Publications Maiden.

Seventh in the 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh last year, the Jaber Abdullah-owned chesnut drifted from early shows of 1/2 to a starting price of 5/4. Settled in second by Shane Foley, the €340,000 yearling purchase swept to the front from the furlong pole and stretched clear from there. Sent off the 5/6 favourite (9/4 early), Royal Entry ran on late to take second, finishing two lengths off the 102-rated victor.

“She ran a really good race in the 1,000 Guineas, but unfortunately pulled up lame and it has been a long road back,” Condon reflected. “You have to dream a small bit, but she could go for the Kilternan and Pretty Polly Stakes. I’ll speak with connections and see what they want to do.”

Second win

Also run over a mile and 31 yards, the Donnie Broderick’s Plumbing Handicap went the way of Harry The Rogue, who was recording his second win of the season.

Successful at Naas in April, before finishing sixth at Gowran last week, the Andy Slattery-trained four-year-old was sent off a 9/2 chance under Sam Coen.

Nicely positioned in second, the 54-rated four-year-old travelled strongly and challenged with two furlongs to go, soon getting to the front.

Ridden clear inside the final 200 yards, the Seamus McGrath-owned victor ultimately had two and three-quarters of a length to spare upon crossing the line. “We are keeping him busy. He is in at Gowran again next week, so we may as well keep him going,” Slattery reported.

BEST known for his handling of the undefeated Black Caviar, Australian trainer Peter Moody stood in for the picture following the narrow success of Gun Carriage (11/10 favourite) in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

Dominating from flag fall with market rival Standard Deviation, the Aidan O’Brien-trained victor just prevailed by a nose, after the pair had a ding-dong tussle from the furlong pole.

Owned by Michael Tabor, Sue Magnier, Derrick Smith and Peter Brant, the chesnut victor was ridden to victory by Wayne Lordan, with Ballydoyle representative Chris Armstrong later stating: “He will go back up in trip and is the makings of a nice horse.”

Moody added: “My wife, I and some friends are travelling around on an unplanned road-trip in Ireland, although our only plan was to see Ballydoyle. I didn’t need to see a race meeting, but Aidan said this was the most picturesque racecourse in this part of the world and it is great.”

A nose also separated San Salvador and War Rooms in the concluding KWD Race, with the Joseph O’Brien-trained former ultimately coming out on top.

Well-judged

Given a well-judged front-running ride by Dylan Browne McMonagle, the nine-year-old victor had to pull out all the stops inside the final furlong to hold off the aforementioned 8/13 favourite.

A versatile performer and last seen finishing down the field over fences at Cheltenham, the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate-owned chesnut was returned at 9/2.

“He is a lovely horse. I just let him bowl away in front, he picked up well and was good and genuine in the last furlong,” the winning rider divulged.

“Royal Ascot is a realistic idea now, as he is a fun horse who handles fast ground, so I can’t see why not.”

Comfortably

Another Cheltenham also-ran claimed the FEXCO Handicap, with Mordor (9/2 from 6s) comfortably accounting for 14 rivals in this extended two-mile heat.

A respectable eighth in the Martin Pipe and last seen finishing a close third back on the level at Navan last month, the Gordon Elliott-trained five-year-old took closer order with five-furlongs to go.

Ridden to the front from the two-furlong pole, the Ray Stokes-owned bay quickly skipped clear under Chris Hayes and had two and three-quarters of a length to spare at the line.

“On his run the last day, he was entitled to do that and Gordon told me he’d come home well, but not to force him or do anything on him too early,” Hayes revealed.

“I’d like to keep him here for a race at the Curragh on Guineas weekend, although Gordon does like to travel his horses.”