Latham lights up the Knight at Tipperary

Jockey Keagan Latham, who is the first choice jockey for Kiltale trainer Ger Lyons, showed plenty of nerve and skill at Tipperary on Saturday. Latham was on board the Wille McCreery-trained Bay Knight in a five-furlong maiden at rain-lashed Tipperary. The South African jockey opted to race all alone on the stand side in a deliberate move when the stalls opened. The rest of the field followed a straight line down the far rail as the Dermot Weld-trained 5/4 favourite Silver Shoon (opened 4/6) tried to end a run of eight-placed efforts under Pat Smullen. It looked as if Silver Shoon would win, but racing on much better ground on the stand rail, Latham got Bay Knight wound-up inside the final furlong for what turned out to be an easy three-length victory. There was a Meath flavour to the opening two races at the Munster track when Moynalty jockey Declan McDonogh completed a double for trainer Kevin Prendergast. Ejteyaaz (8/15) won the opening juvenile maiden, but had to work hard for victory when ridden to challenge a furlong out. McDonogh got to the front inside the final furlong. Cornakill (4/1) won the next race. McDonogh moved up to challenge two furlongs out and went on inside the final furlong by two lengths. Both winners will now head for Galway. And there was a Meath man in the winners' enclosure after the last race as well when Johnny Murtagh was on the mark for boss, Aidan O'Brien. Tamarind (2/9) opened her account in fine style when taking the concluding maiden for the Bohermeen jockey. Joanna Morgan maintained her good strike rate at the moment when she sent out another winner at Leopardstown on Thursday night The aptly-named Raise Your Heart stormed home in front of the rest to win the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap quite comfortably. The six-year-old had eight lengths to spare at the post for apprentice Conor O'Farrell. Owned by the Gaeltacht Gang Syndicate, Raise Your Heart could be aimed at Galway later this month, but may also return to the Foxrock track this week for another flat race. "He is in the Galway Hurdle and the McDonagh Handicap, so we have some options," stated the trainer. Murtagh completed a treble at Leopardstown and Dunshaughlin-based trainer Eddie Lynam was also on the mark. Lynam was touched off in the first race, but Clodova landed a maiden event and the grey filly will be aimed at a handicap as her next target. However, Murtagh was the man in form highlighted by Cabaret in the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes while the Bohermeen man and Aidan O'Brien were back in the winners' enclosure after Viscount Nelson (1/4) won a maiden event. The Michael Grassick-trained Hard Rock City completed the treble.