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Sessa success highlights Keane hat-trick at Leopardstown

3 minute read

Dermot Weld has Classic ambitions for Group Three winner.

Jockey COLIN KEANE.
Jockey COLIN KEANE. Picture: Pat Healy Photography

Duke De Sessa  came from the clouds under an inspired Colin Keane to claim Group Three honours in the Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown.

Down the field in the National Stakes on his latest appearance, Dermot Weld's youngster was an 11-2 chance to get back on the winning trail and complete a treble on the day for the champion jockey.

The son of Lope De Vega was almost last rounding the home turn, but showed an impressive turn of foot once angled wide at the top of the straight to run down his rivals and prevail by half a length.

Piz Badile and Anchorage finished second and third respectively.

Weld said: "That was very pleasing. He's a lovely colt, still immature, and he'll make a lovely colt next year. There is lots to look forward to.

"Hopefully he'll come back for a Guineas trial and I see him potentially as an Irish 2,000 Guineas horse.

"He just had to wait there to get him out and get him balanced and he came home exceptionally well.

"He has a lot of pace this horse and the lovely thing about him is that he has stamina as well.

"He'll be a lovely mile or mile-and-a-quarter horse for next year, please God."

Keane opened his account aboard Jessica Harrington's 9-4 favourite Nectaris in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Nursery, before steering Masen to an all-the-way victory in the Listed Knockaire Stakes.

Sent off the 2-1 favourite after finishing second at this level and winning a Leopardstown handicap last time, Ger Lyons' runner was in charge from the off, seizing an early advantage that he did not relinquish despite tiring slightly at the finish.

Masen came home two and a quarter lengths clear of a decent yardstick in Njord and assistant trainer Shane Lyons expects the three-year-old to develop into an even better horse next year.

He said: "It's a job well done. He's a work in progress and hopefully he'll have a nice winter and mature mentally.

"If he winters well, and there is no reason why he won't fill into a man, we think he is a very good horse.

"Ger will have a chat with Barry (Mahon, Juddmonte's racing manager) and the Abdullah family and make a plan. Colin thinks the world of him, as do we.

"Every race that he has run in he's shown a bit of class and he's improving with each race.

"The winter can't come soon enough so he can have down time and mature. We're really looking forward to him next year, we think he's a proper horse in the making over seven furlongs or a mile."

Aidan O'Brien and Seamie Heffernan teamed up to take the first two races, headed by West Coast (7-2) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

A Dark Angel half-sister to the classy Just Wonderful, West Coast was making it third time lucky as she saw off 15-8 favourite Perfect Thunder by three and three-quarter lengths.

Heffernan said: "To be very honest, I couldn't see her getting beaten on either of her last two runs, but maybe she was greener than I thought or maybe I just gave her two bad rides.

"I was on the best filly in the race, and she's genuine, so I just let her rip along.

"She has the makings of a nice filly."

Star Of India (5-1) earned Classic quotes as he brought up the double in the following Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

A Galileo half-brother to 2013 Phoenix Stakes victor Sudirman, Star Of India made short work of his 11 rivals, impressing Heffernan with his two-and-a-quarter-length verdict and earning a 33-1 quote with Betfair for next year's 2000 Guineas.

Heffernan added: "He's a grand staying type of horse. We went a good gallop there and I stayed going well, I liked him."


At The Races

Leopardstown

Saturday, 23rd October 2021

7
17:10
(local)

Eyrefield Stakes (Group 3) (G3)

Age: 2yo WT: 128lbs Type: OPEN
EUR €50,000
1m1f TURF GOOD
7
17:10
(local)
EUR €50,000
1m1f GOOD

Eyrefield Stakes (Group 3) (G3)

Age: 2yo WT: 128lbs Type: OPEN


FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 4. DUKE DE SESSA (IRE) 2yo C
LOPE DE VEGA (IRE) - DARK CRUSADER (IRE)
COLIN KEANE
DERMOT K WELD
$6.5
131lbs
M J Regan, S E C Duke, M Belford, Mrs L A Belford, J Garvey, Mrs E Garvey, Deg Racing, Halo Racing Services Pty Ltd, Mrs J McKenna, A J Willoughby, C S White, A J Luciano, J M Simmons & Ms S M Fitzgerald

Sales Information

2nd 9. PIZ BADILE (IRE) 2yo C
ULYSSES (IRE) - THAT WHICH IS NOT (USA)
GAVIN RYAN
DONNACHA O'BRIEN
$11
131lbs
FLAXMAN STABLES IRELAND LTD
3rd 2. OUR ANCHORAGE (IRE) 2yo C
GALILEO (IRE) - VANZARA (FR)
SEAMIE HEFFERNAN
AIDAN O'BRIEN
$12
131lbs
Darby Racing, G W Aldridge, J M Carroll Snr, G J Galvin, I J Giles, P J Hall, T J Henderson, G A M Maynard, A J Murtagh, M G Murtagh, P A Palmer, D W Riley, R Sergi, D Constantin, Maguire Breeding & Racing, M B S Racing No. 2, M D Garreffa & Darby Racing Anchorage

Sales Information

4th 5. FRENCH CLAIM (FR) 2yo C
FRENCH FIFTEEN (FR) - ZAHRADA (USA)
BILLY LEE
P TWOMEY
$5.5
131lbs

Sales Information

5th 3. BOUNDLESS OCEAN (IRE) 2yo C
TEOFILO (IRE) - NOVEL APPROACH (IRE)
K J MANNING
J S BOLGER
$4.6
131lbs

Sales Information

6th 13. VOICE OF ANGELS (GB) 2yo F
DARK ANGEL (IRE) - RING THE BELL (IRE)
SHANE M CROSSE
JOSEPH O'BRIEN
$7
128lbs

Sales Information

7th 8. GRENOBLE (GB) 2yo C
SIYOUNI (FR) - GIANTS PLAY (USA)
CHRIS HAYES
WILLIAM HAGGAS
$9.5
131lbs

Sales Information

8th 7. GOOD HEAVENS (IRE) 2yo C
ZOFFANY (IRE) - ROUND OF APPLAUSE (GB)
DECLAN MCDONOGH
JOSEPH O'BRIEN
$9.5
131lbs
9th 12. LULLABY (IRE) 2yo F
GALILEO (IRE) - HOLY ALLIANCE (IRE)
M C HUSSEY
AIDAN O'BRIEN
$81
128lbs
10th 10. HAVA NAGEELA (IRE) 2yo C
ACLAIM (IRE) - QUAD'S MELODY (IRE)
BEN COEN
KEN CONDON
$201
131lbs

Sales Information

11th 6. GLORY DAZE (IRE) 2yo C
COTAI GLORY (GB) - PIONEER ALEXANDER (IRE)
RONAN WHELAN
ANDREW OLIVER
$67
131lbs

Sales Information

12th 11. CAROLINE HERSCHEL (IRE) 2yo F
ZOFFANY (IRE) - COMPOSTELA (GB)
SHANE FOLEY
MRS J HARRINGTON
$8
128lbs
13th 1. ALLIHIES (IRE) 2yo G
ANJAAL (GB) - AHD (USA)
E J MCNAMARA
KEVIN COLEMAN
$101
131lbs

Sales Information

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