Brick By Brick edges Keane upwards

Colin Keane moved eight winners clear at the head of the Jockeys’ Championship with a win on the Jessica Harrington trained Brick By Brick in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at the Curragh today, as the jockey hit the 55 winner mark for the season.

The son of Big Bad Bob had finished second on three of his previous four starts when attempting to make all the running each time, but today did so and held on to his lead throughout for a two and a quarter lengths win over Betsey Trotter

Afterwards Harrington stated “he's done very little wrong but he just kept getting caught but did that well today.

“I don't where we go with him next, he's a five furlong horse and he loves quick ground.

“He's very very sharp out of the stalls and I think he'll be better when he gets up into a better class of race; in a better race he might get a lead.

“Colin said he had company until the last furlong; then he sent him on and he quickened up really well but when he got to the front he just pricked his ears. He really wasn't doing very much so probably in a bit better race they'd take him along more.

“He has plenty of experience now and he's getting stronger. He's a quick horse and we'll try and find a suitable race.

“He ran here over six and painfully didn't get it. He might next year but at the moment we'll keep him to five.”

Keane was substituting for Harrington’s stable jockey Colm O’Donoghue, who was suspended, and is eight winners clear of Pat Smullen, as he bids for a first Jockeys’ Championship.

Quotes from Gary Carson