A YEAR that has served up some notable highlights for Ger Lyons produced another one as the trainer rattled off a four-timer which featured a victory for the speedy and classy Frenetic in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Legacy Stakes.

Frenetic was one of two winners on the night for Colin Keane and this brace was notable as it meant that this was the first time all season that the former champion has held the lead in the jockeys’ title.

For her part, the talented Frenetic was winning her third listed race of the season and she did so in a good edition of this five-furlong race which attracted a full field of 14 and five runners rated in excess of 100.

One of those that had work to do on ratings was Giselles Thunder but she turned in a cracking effort from the front and had most of her rivals hard at work from some way out. She could never quite shake off Frenetic (3/1) though and who responded to Keane’s promptings to edge ahead as the line loomed and carry the day by a neck.

The Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes third Measure Of Magic completed the placings behind the SBA Racing Limited-owned winner.

“You can forget her last run in the Flying Childers when she was very buzzy and did too much early on. She was relaxed today and she’s done well to win from a stall 15 draw,” reported the trainer’s brother Shane. “She’s in the Mercury Stakes (next Friday, against older horses) but we’ll speak to the owner’s racing manager Ed Sackville to see where we go there or leave her until next season.”

Lyons and Keane also combined to win a smart-looking Hollywood Bets Handicap over a mile and a half with the Graham Bradley-owned Marchons Ensemble (7/1). This son of Pour Moi had shown up well in a couple of decent handicaps this season and he produced a lovely effort in coming from off the pace to edge out Pearl Warrior by a short-head.

“A mile and a half plus is his trip and he showed tonight that he likes this track. Colin said he’s a horse who likes to take his time and warm into the race,” stated the trainer’s brother.

Strongly-supported

Another potential Lyons contender for the Mercury Stakes is My Laureate, who blitzed her rivals in the five-furlong conditions race despite meeting quite a few of her opponents on decidedly disadvantageous terms. The strongly-supported 8/1 chance made the most of her stall one draw by going straight to the front for Gary Carroll and she sustained her effort to defeat Urban Beat by four lengths. This four-year-old carries the colours of Homer Scott.

The improving juvenile Fight Zone was the other member of the four-timer as he followed up a gritty maiden win at Naas last month with an equally determined display in the apprentice riders’ nursery over seven furlongs.

The 11/10 favourite set out to make the running for Sam Ewing and turned back one rival after another in the straight to score by half a length. This Wendy O’Leary-owned son of War Front could be headed for the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale later this month.

“We’re having a lot of luck up here at the moment. We stayed away from the track for a while but they have resurfaced it and we’re reaping the rewards now. It needed to be done and fair play to them they did it. We’ll support it now,” stated Shane Lyons.

Zaffy’s Pride wins the day and proves a canny purchase

A CLEAR-CUT success over six furlongs here last month suggested that Zaffy’s Pride was a filly on the up and she more than bore out that view by landing the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Star Appeal Stakes.

A mere €13,000 purchase in the relatively modest surrounds of the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale last year, this daughter of Pride Of Dubai had already looked a canny purchase by the time she lined up here and the switch to seven furlongs brought out the best in her.

The Blessingndisguise Partnership-owned filly launched a purposeful effort for Tom Madden early in the straight that got her to the front nearing the last furlong. Once she got to the front, Zaffy’s Pride kept on tenaciously to defeat the dual premier nursery winner Magnanimous by a length and a quarter.

“She won here last time out but going seven furlongs today has brought out the best in her. That was a big improvement on what she has shown,” remarked the rider.

Scherzando (11/4) was a deserving winner of the first division of the Michael Cooney Memorial Handicap over a mile having been placed in four of his six handicap runs to date. Joey Sheridan’s mount got on top for a head success over Kinch. Denis Hogan trains the winner for the Galway Girl Syndicate and Damien Lavelle.

First flat for Smith

After sending out his first winner as a trainer at Downpatrick two months previously, Kevin Smith made his mark on the flat for the first time when Jackmel took the second division of the 45-65 rated Micheal Cooney Memorial Handicap. Billy Lee made the running on the well-backed 11/2 shot who got to the line three-quarters of a length ahead of Overtake. The six-year-old is owned by the trainer’s father, Kevin.

Strongly-supported

Michael Halford and Ronan Whelan, second with Overtake, had earlier enjoyed better fortune as Sindhia won the seven-furlong maiden to build on a second to the very smart Pearls Galore at Limerick previously.

The 5/2 favourite battled well over the course of the last furlong to hold off the five-year-old English import Zahee who was returning from a year off in the Aga Khan colours

“Sue Shortt deserves a lot of credit as she has done a great job getting this filly to where she is now, she’s not the easiest at home,” reflected Whelan.