Sarah Lynam trains her first winner

The Lynam name is synonymous with Royal Ascot but Sarah Lynam will harbour mixed feelings about this year's meeting as the rookie trainer missed her first training success, in favour of a trip to the festival, at Sligo today with Musical Jewel in the Peugeot Range At Kevin Egan Cars Handicap.

Lynam's father Eddie Lynam enjoyed his first Royal Ascot win with Sole Power's success in the 2013 King's Stand Stakes and followed up with a further three Royal winners in an amazing 2014, with Sole Power, Slade Power and Anthem Alexander. Indeed star sprinters Sole Power and Slade Power later won that same year's renewals of the July Cup and Nunthorpe Stakes.

Sligo is some distance in racing terms from Royal Ascot but Sarah Lynam's Musical Jewel today scored a famous neck win, under Danny Sheehy, over Stamp Of Authority to credit Lynam with a first training success.

Chuffed Eddie Lynam, who owns the winner and also trained earlier victor Ice Storm later said “Sarah made plans to go to Ascot. It used to be her father that went to Ascot but I told her not to cancel as you never know what would happen. She’s over there in the car park jumping up and down and her father gave her the commentary and I went dumb 100 yards out!

“I’m delighted for her as she tries very hard and works very hard at it and the owner will be very happy!

“She trains out of the same yard as me, and she has the back line and another line. She has about 15 but most of them are two-year-olds. She has very few to race at the minute but this one would talk to you. She’s a well-bred filly and Sarah did well with her to get a win, and Danny rode her well.”

Lynam often signs off with a memorable quip and produced a Group 1 winner today, saying “when Sarah graduated in Trinity she said she wanted to have a word with me. I thought I was going to be a grandfather but it was worse than that - she wanted to be a trainer!”

He added “she has gone on the hamster wheel like the rest of us, and this is what she needed. I’m delighted for her and very proud of her.”

Quotes from Alan Magee