LAST season’s leading jockeys Colin Keane and Billy Lee completed Cork doubles on Wednesday, with the pair winning four consecutive races mid-way through the evening.

Keane began by winning the mile Follow Us On Social Media Maiden with the Emmet Mullins-trained cheap purchase Lord Vader (10/3).

Bought for 6,000gns in July 2022, the four-year-old carries the Portarlington GAA colours of owner Kieran Leavy and today beat runner-up Highland Rahy by a half-length.

Mullins said: “He has been a tricky horse, has plenty of good form this year without getting his head in front and it was nice to find a simple enough five-runner race. Colin was good on him, kept it uncomplicated and the cheekpieces were a help too.

“Buying him, we didn’t think we’d be winning a maiden but it was this time of year on fast ground and his experience stood to him. Hopefully he can go on now.”

Champion jockey Keane completed his double in the Coolmore Gleneagles Irish EBF Maiden on the Ger Lyons-trained Ragga Bomb for owners Sean Jones, David Spratt and Lynne Lyons.

Stayed on

The 4/6 favourite was ridden to lead a furlong out and stayed on well to beat Verified by two lengths.

Shane Lyons, representing his brother Ger, reported: “Colin was delighted, but he is a weak horse so this was a bonus. We’ll go back to the drawing boards at home now, but I’d say that could be it (for the year) as he will strengthen up an awful lot for next year.

“This ground helped but we were worried weakness would get the better of him. He won well there and seven (furlongs) is his trip, but it is all about next year with him.

“We have always liked him and he was bought as a foal from (trainer) Clive Cox who is a good friend of Ger’s and that’s a good omen.”

JOCKEY Billy Lee finished second to Keane in last season’s championship and also completed a double, for trainers Paddy Twomey and Eddie Lynam.

Lee began by steering 1/2 favourite King Cuan to a very easy success in the six-furlongs Irish EBF Auction Series Race. Twomey reported: “Going to the Curragh, I thought he’d run a big race and things didn’t happen right that day. I gave him time to mature and to fill his frame and he confirmed today what he did in May.

“I think he enjoyed it and he is a quick horse. We are lucky to have some nice two-year-olds and I’d rate him with them.

“There is a €100,000 race (Goffs Sportsman’s Challenge) next weekend at Naas for him and his owners are mostly Naas-based.”

Members of the winning Red Lily Racing Syndicate include Brian Purcell, a former judge on TV show the Irish Apprentice, and racecourse announcer Paul Quish.

Lee completed his double on another strong-travelling winner, Collective Power (11/4), who scored readily in the Follow Us On Instagram Handicap.

Collective Power is owned, bred and trained by Lynam and afterwards Lee said: “They went a lovely gallop the whole way which suited me, he travelled sweetly and they took me there well. Eddie (Lynam) was mindful for me to not get there too soon, so I bided my time until the furlong pole and he picked up well.

“He wasn’t doing a whole lot (in front), but the pace is important to him when they go a good gallop and he travels. He might be a horse who just keeps improving the older he gets, like a typical sprinter.”

MOST valuable event of the day was the seven-furlongs €30,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Rated Race, which was won by the Aidan O’Brien-trained The Caribbean (9/2) who fought off runner-up Queen Of Thunder (4/6 favourite), to score under Seamie Heffernan.

Queen Of Thunder travelled stronger but The Caribbean won the battle in the final furlong, scoring by a head.

Afterwards Chris Armstrong, representing Ballydoyle, reported: “His form is in the book, he has run in some good races and we thought after his last run at the Curragh that a step up to seven furlongs would suit him. The conditions for this race worked out nicely for him and he has come along physically and mentally with every run.

“We might go for something like the Star Appeal Stakes now at Dundalk - it is seven (furlongs) around a bend, he appreciates a quick surface.”

Racing began with the Irish Stallion Farms Irish EBF Fillies Maiden, which was won by Newtown Anner Stud’s debutante Unreasonable (13/2), for jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle and trainer Joseph O’Brien.

Finished strong

The No Nay Never filly went in pursuit of leader Settlement over a furlong out but finished stronger and scored by a head over the mile distance. Browne McMonagle reported: “She travelled around good, was still green when I initially went for her but I liked the way she hit the line and went through it really well.

“I didn’t want to be hitting the front a furlong and a half out as it was always going to be new for her and I was never in a panic. It was just a case of getting stuck into her in the last furlong and getting her head in front. You can take plenty of positives from it. I think she is a really nice filly going forward.

“She has been showing us plenty at home and has been working well. She will sharpen up and will have no problem stepping up in trip in the future.

The concluding seven-furlongs Racing Again September 26th Handicap was won by the Austin Leahy-trained Han Solo (10/1), who scored in his daughter Susan Leahy’s colours and for jockey Jamie Powell. The seven-year-old raced prominently, travelled well and scored by a length and three-quarters from Jered Maddox. Leahy said: “We put blinkers on him at home and we couldn’t hold him! I couldn’t see the first three furlongs, I was listening to the commentator and hoping he was looking at the right horse. He (Powell) said to drop him back to six (furlongs) and we will look to Listowel now.”