LIVENKA proved much too strong for her rivals in the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas on Monday as Ger Lyons landed the big pot once again. The Juddmonte-owned filly went to post a well supported 4/6 shot in the €200,000 race and the result never looked in doubt.

Colin Keane was always to the fore on the daughter of Bated Breath and she led at halfway in the six furlong contest before powering clear passing the furlong pole for a three-and-a-half-length win.

“I’ve always liked her. It’s a nice pot to win with her en route to where we hope to be going with her, which is blacktype,” said Lyons, who was claiming the prize for the third time. I put her in the Lowther this morning at second entries.

“If she’s alive and kicking that’s a lovely option. We’ve been lucky in the race and I’m never too proud to take Joe Foley’s money! We’ll concentrate on this trip for the rest of the year and she’s a top of the ground horse, which is typical of Bated Breath.”

Stakes on the cards

Another with stakes races on her mind is Likedbymike after a facile victory in the opening TRM Ironxcell For Energy Race. Michael Byrne’s filly went to post a 4/9 shot in the six-furlong conditions event and punters had few worries.

Joey Sheridan let his mount hit the front under two furlongs from home and she asserted passing the furlong pole for a cosy two-length success over Focaccia. “It’s great to get another win into her, it was a grand soft race for her,” said Byrne.

“We’ll go to Cork now at the end of the month for another listed race (Abergwaun Stakes on August 30th). It would be nice to win one as we’re after getting close twice. It’ll do her confidence good as well. It was like a nice bit of work really.”

DYLAN Browne McMonagle kept tabs on the leaders in the jockeys’ title race with a double on the card. Red Evolution initiated the brace when running out a game winner of the Matchbook Betting Exchange Handicap.

The Michael O’Callaghan-trained gelding chased down Gotta Catch’em All in the closing stages to record a half-length success, at odds of 9/2.

“We just wanted to get this lad a bit of a confidence booster. He’s been pitched into two high-class handicaps at the Curragh this year,” said O’Callaghan of John Kirkland’s gelding.

“We felt dropping in grade would help and sticking at six. Dylan was happy with him today. He said he jumped well, travelled and was able to get a tow into the race and hit the line strongly.

“Last year he looked like a very progressive, and potentially high-class sprinter. Hopefully now we can get him back into that group. Dylan said the stiff six is key to him.”

Browne McMonagle later teamed up with boss Joseph O’Brien as Never The Same landed the concluding Hurling For Cancer August 24th Maiden. The No Nay Never filly was to the fore throughout and kept on well in the closing stages to beat Nautic Star by half a length.

O’Brien said of the 3/1 winner: “It’s nice to win her maiden with a well-bred, good looking, filly. We’ll see where we go with her now. I’d say we’ll go back (in trip) rather than up again.”

THE Jessica Harrington-trained Diamond Exchange proved very gutsy when getting up close home in the Matchbook Handicap, over an extended 10 furlongs. The Wootton Bassett filly grabbed Nakasero in the last strides to secure a head victory, under Shane Foley.

“She’s game. That’s the third race that she’s won this year. She’s been good,” said Harrington. “She loves that ground and that’s her trip, they can’t go quick enough for her.

“We might see if she can get into the bottom of the mile-and-a-half handicap on Champions Weekend. She might go somewhere between now and then.”

Deserved success for Dandy

Willie McCreery knew he was on a winner in the final furlong of the Matchbook Apprentice Handicap as Dandy Land chased down stablemate Steel Magnolia.

Paddy Harnett’s mount got on top in the closing stages to record a length and a quarter success. The 15/2 winner had been placed on her last two outings, most recently finishing runner-up at Down Royal.

“That was grand, You hate beating one of your own but she deserved that,” said McCreery. “She was second the last day in the north and Billy (Lee) thought the road just cost her a little bit of impetus, and a bit of cuteness cost her.

“I thought she travelled well into the race today and put it to bed well. She did nothing wrong. I’d say Steel Magnolia just needs a bit of an easier five. The last 100 yards just catches her here, it has the last twice, and the trainer might learn at some stage!”

Dama goes one better

Another going one better on the card was the Brendan Duke-trained Zheleznaya Dama, in the seven-furlong 0-70 event. Rory Cleary was soon in front on the 12/1 shot and she kept on gamely late on to hold Bear Right by a neck.

“She deserved that, she’s been running really well,” said Duke. “I might have made a mistake turning her out quickly at Killarney last time.

“I kind of have it in my head for her, the juvenile hurdle on the 27th of December in Leopardstown. I won it with Leagan Gaeilge (2019). She jumps well.

“We’re having a good run at the moment, thank God, it’s a big relief. People are actually thinking that I’m not a complete muppet at the moment!”