Group 1 success for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane
A very significant success for trainer Ger Lyons last night at the Curragh where he landed his frst Group 1 success on home turf when Colin Keane partnered Siskin to victory in the Phoenix Stakes.
It was a second Group 1 success for Lyons eight years apart after Lightening Pearl and Johnny Murtagh won the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in 2011.
Lyons hit the post in the Group 1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown in 2013 when the consistent Lily's Angel was edged out by the Kevin Prendergast-trained La Collina by half a length.
However, all that changed last night as the unbeaten Siskin took the spoils from the Aidan O'Brien trio of Monarch Of Egypt (second), Royal Lytham (third) and Mount Fuji (fourth).
That made it four wins from four for Siskin since winning a Naas maiden in May.
That Naas win was followed by the Listed Marble Hill Stakes and then the Group 2 Railway Stakes at the end of June with the Group 1 success last night.
WHAT GER LYONS SAID - BEFORE THE RACE
It’s GROUP1 Phoenix Stakes Day but unfortunately the weather forecast is against us as they have predicted 20mls+ of rain to fall on the track before racing tonight.
A serious amount has fallen here and we had thunderstorms throughout the night.
Shane walked the track yesterday at lunchtime and at that point he called it perfect flat racing ground but I expect that to change.
I can only hope that it doesn’t change drastically.
AFTER THE RACE
My confidence was shot all week with the rain purely because we knew he was better on a faster gallop.
His forte is that burst of speed that he still showed there.
I think he’s a very smart horse.
I’m delighted to be training for Prince Khalid, and as I’ve said we can’t train Group 1 horses unless we get Group 1 horses.
Thankfully in my second season training for this operation I’m after getting a Group 1 horse.
What a horse to have — he’s so push button.
I was worrying all week listening to every drop of rain falling but the horse just got on and did his job.