Keane excels with fine waiting ride on Mutasarref

Colin Keane was seen at his brilliant best when producing Mutasarref from off the pace to land the Listed Bahrain Turf Club Knockaire Stakes at Leopardstown.

Originally due to ride stablemate Power Under Me, the champion jockey made the late switch to the Eleanora Kennedy owned gelding, after the former was declared a non runner.

A real improver last term after joining trainer Ger Lyons, the five-year-old had failed to build on that promise this year, failing to trouble the judge on five starts. However, he returned to something like his best here under a very well judged ride.

Held up in rear as Cairo cut out the running, Keane brought Mutasarref with a perfectly timed challenge to lead inside the final furlong. The Dark Angel gelding just did enough to hold the fast finishing Honey Girl by a diminishing neck.

“I genuinely thought I was only running him because Eleanora was over for a do at the weekend,” said Lyons.

“He's been on the wane all year. Colin said he's just a class horse and the ease in the ground helps him as he's had injuries and it helps his old bones.

“He's been a very lucky horse for us since we got him. I thought we were on the road to dropping him down the handicap but that's undone all that. You don't mind when they win.

“They went no gallop and it fell into his hands. On his day he's a good horse.

“The older they are they handle the ground better than the younger ones, that's horrible ground and it's catching a lot of them out but it helps him.

“The summer ground hasn't been helping him, he's been feeling his old bones.

“He's been a super horse for us and I'd say in time he'll end up having a happy retirement in Colin's place as he loves him.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson