'Surprised' Lyons wins with Navan 'jolly'

Winning trainer Ger Lyons admitted to being ’surprised’ by the win of his 3/1 favourite Treasuring in the opening Lynn Lodge Stud Irish EBF Maiden at Navan today, as his Qatar Racing owned filly improved one placing on last month’s Dundalk runner-up debut run.

Ridden by jockey Colin Keane, the daughter of Havan Gold today went clear with a furlong to race and, despite swishing her tail, stayed on well inside the final furlong for a two and three parts of a length win over Yulong Warrior

Lyons later admitted “listen, she was 3/1 favourite so you'll be surprised to hear me saying I'm surprised but I just didn't think she was quick enough to win over five.”

He added “she has been jumping around, very fresh in herself. You''ll see a couple of scratches on her head - she got down and banged herself around last night. I'm sure if it was five furlongs anywhere else I probably wouldn't have even ran her but she has jumped on from her first run.

"Colin said she surprisingly jumped out real smart and had the toe to go and kept going. The further she went the better she was.

"I'm delighted. We thought she would win her maiden and that is what she has done so let's see how she comes home from it. If she's a Stakes filly we'll be happily surprised."

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Michael Graham