LAYFAYETTE gave Noel Meade another big winner on the flat when claiming the Lenebane Stakes at Roscommon on Tuesday.

Chris Hayes produced the French Navy gelding with a well-judged surge as he swooped from the rear in the listed prize.

The 11/4 shot led a furlong out in the mile-and-a-half contest to beat long-time leader Hector De Maris by a length and a quarter.

It was a race run at a strong gallop and Hayes reported: “They went good and hard and I was able to ride a nice waiting race on him, he quickened up well.

“Trip was never a concern and I was more worried about the ground. I rode him on quick ground last year and I didn’t think he let himself down on it.

“Noel said he came out of Ascot fine on the quick ground so that gave me a little bit of confidence.”

Layfayette had started the year with victory in the Irish Lincolnshire at the Curragh.

Two wins

A race earlier, Prairie Dancer made it two wins from two visits to the midlands track when making all in the 10-furlong Athlone Handicap.

Shane Crosse bounced out in front on the Joseph O’Brien-trained gelding and the 5/4 favourite stayed on well in the closing stages to record a one-and-three-quarter-length win over Himalayan Beauty.

The winning rider commented: “He likes this track, and the front-running helps him a lot. Hopefully he can keep going.”

A lot of the winners raced prominently on the day but the Ken Condon-trained Affable benefitted from a well-judged hold-up ride in the Property Partners Earley Fillies Handicap.

Joey Sheridan produced his mount inside the final furlong to grab Ola Bonita and record a half-length win in the seven-furlong contest at odds of 11/1 for the trainer’s wife Pauline.

“Ken said to me to sit halfway and to get her coming there. We went hard and thankfully it worked out,” said Sheridan.

River the highlight of Keane treble

COLIN Keane bagged a treble on the card and kicked things off when partnering Once Upon A River to an impressive success in the opening Irish Stallions Farms EBF Maiden.

The Churchill colt made all the running and quickened away down the straight to record a four-length win in the seven-furlong contest.

The Ger Lyons-trained winner is a son of top-class sprinter recently deceased Cassandra Go and so is a half-brother to top racemare Halfway To Heaven.

Shane Lyons, assistant and brother of the trainer, said: “Now that he’s got his bracket out of the way, we’ll take our time with him.

“It’s all about next year with him as he’s a very well-bred horse. Unfortunately Trevor (Stewart) lost his dam last week so that was the end of an era.”

Keane teamed up with Ballydoyle when odds-on shot La Joconde opener her account in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies maiden.

The daughter of Frankel was taking a significant drop in class in the 10-furlong contest having been last sighted in the Oaks at Epsom.

She made all but was strongly pressed in the straight before asserting late on to beat Karatayka by a length and a quarter at odds of 30/100.

“I’d say you’ll see a better filly going a little bit further and maybe riding her with a bit more restraint. In a better race you could do that. I was just trying to keep it as simple as possible today,” said the winning rider.

Keane completed his haul when gaining a narrow success in the finale on the Dermot Weld-trained Florence Camille.

The Moyglare-owned filly, a daughter of Galileo, came to tackle Ballinlough Gale inside the final furlong and edged the verdict close home for a head victory.

BOTH divisions of the Thanks To The Frontline Apprentice Handicap were claimed by the market leaders and What A Feeling was a well-backed 9/4 winner of the first heat.

Luke McAteer was always handy on Pat Murphy’s charge and hit the front early in the straight. The No Nay Never filly stuck on well in the closing stages to beat front-runner Approachcautiously by a length and a half in the colours of A Casey.

“It might do her no harm getting her head in front and I think she’ll go forward from this run,” said McAteer.

It was a similar tale in the second division as Miss Florentine tracked leader King’s View before hitting the front a furlong and a half out to record a two-and-a-half-length success under Mikey Sheehy for owner John Harney.

Trainer Ross O’Sullivan said: “When you look at her form she had a couple of really good runs, at the Curragh and in Cork last time. You wouldn’t be surprised by her doing that today and I just hope she improves a little bit more and goes on again.”