Donal Murphy
Tough Greek records eighth career success
The grey Greek Canyon fends off all rivals under Colin Keane
© Photo Healy Racing
Greek Canyon recorded his eighth career win and his second successive victory in the Lyrath Estate Hotel & Spa Summer Ladies Day Handicap, scoring under Colin Keane for Ger Lyons.
The likeable grey five-year-old disappointed in the Paddy Power Scurry Handicap at the Curragh on his last start and he was sent off an 11/2 chance this afternoon.
Having lead and disputed throughout the victorious son of Moss Vale was ridden to lead over two furlongs from home and while he was strongly pressed and possibly headed from over a furlong out he battled back gamely in the closing stages, getting up to score by a short head at the line. Kiss The Stars finished second at 9/1 under Connor King for Tom McCourt while Invincible Ridge kept on to take third a further half a length back under Leigh Roche for Darren Bunyan at 10/1. Seanie was sent off the well-backed 7/2 favourite (from 5/1 on-course) but he could only manage a disappointing sixth under Pat Smullen for David Marnane.
Ger Lyons said of the Sean Jones owned winner: "He is fair genuine. The team need horses like him. He won four last year when we needed winners.
"He was sold as a two-year-old to go to Hong Kong but he failed the vet.
"That is our thirty winner of the season and fingers crossed with can keep it going."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee