A SIGNIFICANT landmark passed under the radar prior to Christmas, as champion jockey Colin Keane registered his 1,000th winner.

Twelve years after his first winner, Keane made it to four figures when propelling Fastnet Crown to victory at Dundalk.

The 28-year-old Meath native was only made aware of his achievement by Fastnet Crown’s trainer Michael O’Callaghan.

Keane’s 1,000 is made up of 989 winners in Ireland, six in Britain, two in Hong Kong, and one in the US, France and Italy.

The rider is on holidays in Australia at present but his boss Ger Lyons was more than happy to offer praise.

“It’s a brilliant achievement and it’s typical of the man that he made nothing of it and nobody really knows,” said Lyons. “That’s who we’re dealing with. That’s who his family are. They’re all like that.”

The day Colin retires, you’ll only know the next day as he just won’t turn up and that’ll be it. There’ll be know hoopla about it.

“He’s been phenomenally consistent and he sets the bar. One of the things he deserves more credit for is that he’s as busy a rider as there is in the country and yet he doesn’t get whip bans.

“That should speak volumes to the other riders. If the best of them can do it while being as busy as he is and still be as strong as there is in a finish, well then, there are no excuses.”