Anna proves a Diamond for Keane & Power

Colin Keane denied Pat Smullen a four-timer at Cork when getting Annadiamond up in the final strides to provide in-form trainer Garrett Power with another victory in the It Pays To Bet With Tote Handicap.

Smullen, whose treble earlier on the card included both the Group 3 Give Thanks Stakes on Zannda and the Listed Platinum Stakes on Eshera looked set to make it four on the evening when sending Glendaars Best on two furlongs out.

However Keane never gave up on the Garrett Power-trained Annadiamond, and his perseverance was rewarded as the 10/1 chance got up close home to win by half a length. Coach Bombay and Feeltherhythm dead-heated for third place, while Fran Berry was sending out distress signals from along way out on the 6/4 favourite Russian Roulette who could only manage 13th.

The seven-time champion Smullen currently holds a massive 30 winner lead over Keane (72-42) in the flat jockey’s title race.

Power, saddling his third winner in the space of six days, said, "I thought she had a great run on the Monday at Galway in a real good novice. I was a bit worried that there might have been too much rain but she stays and stays and will stay further.

"She was on her head at Ballinrobe the last day and Wayne (Lordan) said to run her on a more galloping track and it worked. There's a four-year-old maiden hurdle at Tramore for her next."

(TW & AM)