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Alain Barr
“title =” Colin Keane – Now a two-time Irish Flat jockey champion, pictured after winning the title in 2017 “class =” js-imageLoader “data-at-xn =” https: //www.rp-assets. com /images/news/2017/11/10/32510-medium.jpeg “data-br-n =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2017/11/10/32510-medium . jpeg “data-br-m =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2017/11/10/32510-large.jpeg “data-br-w =” https: // www. rp-assets.com/images/news/2017/11/10/32510-large.jpeg “data-br-xw =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2017/11/10 /32510-large.jpeg “onclick =” return false; “>
By Mark Boylan
Colin Keane has been confirmed as the 2020 Irish Flat jockey champion, with his incredible full comeback after it was determined that his closest rival, Shane Foley, would no longer be able to catch the 2017 title winner.
The Irish Flat campaign concludes on Saturday at Naas, but both riders were booked for their final races of the season in Ireland at Curragh on Monday, and the pair will fly to Keeneland on Tuesday for the Breeders’ Cup.
A winner in the final contest at Naas on Sunday meant Keane was finally out of Foley’s reach, landing his 99th winner of the season, while his friend and rival posed their 92nd hit earlier on the undercard.
Keane completed the third century of his career on his last voyage of the season aboard the Pretty Boy Floyd on Monday.
“It has been an extraordinary year,” said the now two-time champion. “Shane and I finished the Irish season tonight before heading to the Breeders’ Cup.
“We are good friends and we get along well. I am sure that he will be a hockey champion in the future, he would deserve it.”
Patrick McCann
“title =” Colin Keane on Shane Foley: “I’m sure he will be a hockey champion in the future, he deserves it” “class =” js-imageLoader “data-at-xn =” https: //www.rp- assets.com/images/news/2020/10/22/83958-medium.jpeg “data-br-n =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/ 2020/10/22/83958 -medium.jpeg “data-br-m =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2020/10/22/83958-large.jpeg “data-br -w =” https: / /www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2020/10/22/83958-large.jpeg “data-br-xw =” https://www.rp-assets.com / images / news / 2020 / 10/22/83958-large.jpeg “onclick =” return false; “>
Foley, who lost nothing in defeat during his tremendous effort to win his first title and posted the best tally of his career, added: “Having led the championship for much of the season, it is obviously disappointing not to win it, but we’ve had A fantastic year and if you had told me at the beginning that we would achieve what we have, I would have taken it all with both hands.
“Colin is a classy driver and has won the championship in the past. There is no shame in losing to such a driver.”
In Flat’s most unorthodox season, which began in Naas on March 23 before being halted due to Covid-19 and resuming on June 8, the former champion seemed to have a mountain to climb after a spectacular start for Foley, which recorded 24 winners in June.
In a further blow for Keane, his title hopes seemed to be in the air as he was forced to miss 14 days of home action due to quarantine restrictions by opting to ride classic hero Siskin in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood one month. after.
“We parked the championship when I went to Goodwood,” Keane said.
Patrick McCann
“title =” Siskin: gave Colin Keane and Ger Lyons a first victory in the Classic at the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas 2020 “class =” js-imageLoader “data-at-xn =” https: //www.rp-assets .com /images/news/2020/06/12/79291-medium.jpeg “data-br-n =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2020/06/12/79291- medium. jpeg “data-br-m =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2020/06/12/79291-large.jpeg “data-br-w =” https: // www. rp-assets.com/images/news/2020/06/12/79291-large.jpeg “data-br-xw =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2020/06/12 /79291-large.jpeg “onclick =” return false; “>
“The boss [Ger Lyons] He said then that we would forget about the championship, that we had to give up two weeks to ride Siskin because maybe we wouldn’t have a horse like him for a long time. “
Meanwhile, Foley, backed by Jessica Harrington, couldn’t stop riding the winners and scored another 18 wins during July and August, knocking him 16 out of Keane in early September.
In fact, Foley had led by 20 after leading Cosmic Vega to victory at Leopardstown on August 20, with Keane responding with a double that afternoon before registering his first four times at Bellewstown a week later.
“I think the four times in Bellewstown in August really got things going for us,” said Keane’s agent, Ruaidhri Tierney. “We’ve been on a streak with Colin in the past where he’s hitting winners left, right, and center, so I knew if he had some momentum, it was possible.”
Over a 15-day period in September, the 26-year-old champion shot doubles at Down Royal, Limerick, Leopardstown, Curragh, Tipperary and Cork, as well as posting 3s at Navan and Gowran, a total of 21 winners.
CAROLINE NORRIS
“title =” Colin Keane and Ger Lyons: Top team combined to win two Classics in 2020 “class =” js-imageLoader “data-at-xn =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/ 2018/08/10/47454-medium.jpeg “data-br-n =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2018/08/10/47454-medium.jpeg “data-br -m = “https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2018/08/10/47454-large.jpeg” data-br-w = “https://www.rp-assets.com /images/news/2018/08/10/47454-large.jpeg “data-br-xw =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2018/08/10/47454-large. jpeg “onclick =” return false; “>
Colin Keane and Ger Lyons: the best team combined to win two Classics in 2020
CAROLINE NORRIS
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