Celebration makes perfect start for Lyons

Celebration justified plenty of market support, as he won on his debut for Ger Lyons in the navanracecourse.ie Handicap.

A three time winner in the UK for Richard Fahey, the son of Equiano was bought by current connections (Gaelic Thoroughbreds) for 42,000 guineas at Tattersalls last October.

Available at 7/1 last night, the son of Equiano opened on-course at just 5's, before going off a well-backed 7/2 chance.

Settled behind the leaders by Colin Keane, he got to the front over a furlong out, and despite being strongly pressed inside the final furlong by Miss Power he kept on best to prevail by half a length.

The runner-up, who was as short at 15/8 this morning, was returned the 3/1 favourite under Robbie Downey for Eddie Lynam, while Go Kart (8/1) was another length and a half back in third for Sean Davis and Patrick Prendergast.

Ger Lyons said afterwards: "It was great and we're very happy with him. We expected him to run well on the best of his English form. He's been very straight forward at home.

"He came in later to us, in February, and got a good old break after coming from England. I was told he had a good freshen up and to take him and play with him and see what he was.

"This race presented itself and he was ready to go. I would say five or six with him and ground's not a problem to him. He just seems to be very straight forward.

"We're after winning first start and are just hoping to build on that.

"It's great for the Gaelic Thoroughbreds club. It's there first winner and I hope it's the first of many.

"They have three older horses, two of which have run and hopefully we'll win with them. Then we have three two-year-olds.

"It's the first venture for the group of lads and it was set up by David Spratt. It's fantastic. Our yard is not known for syndicates but it's a nice way in.

"Instead of having one horse they've six horses and they will have action all year around. That's the whole idea of it.

"David is good at buying these horses in training and I'm good at the two-year-old's so between us we should give them plenty of fun."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson