Italian job gets week off to a flyer for Keane

The final week of the turf flat racing season and Trim jockey Colin Keane returned to Ireland after winning his first Group 1 race in Rome on Sunday.

After drawing a blank on the card at Leopardstown on Saturday, Keane teamed up with trainer Tony Martin for a tilt at the the Premio Lydia Tesio at Capannelle in Rome on board Laganore and duly took the laurels.

Now the focus will be on the three remaining meetings this week with action scheduled for Dundalk tomorrow evening and again on Friday before the conclusion of the 2017 season on Sunday at Naas.

Keane currently leads defending champion Pat Smullen by seven and is in a strong position to take the title only three years after winning the champion apprentice crown.