'Troubled' Lion returns to winning ways

Injury-plagued Sea The Lion bridged a near-three year gap between wins when landing the navanracecourse.ie Handicap at Navan today for Royal Ascot winning trainer Jarlath Fahey and jockey Rory Cleary.

Sea The Lion’s previous success was gained for Michale Halford in July 2014 but missed all of 2015 and 2016 before returning to action this year for Fahey.

On Epsom Derby today, it was somewhat appropriate the son of 2009 hero Sea The Stars returned to winning ways and afterwards Fahey stated “it's great to get him (Sea The Lion) back as he had leg trouble a couple of times in his career.

“The few years off probably did him no harm as he’s a fine, big horse. He's lazy but finds when you ask him and in fairness to Rory (Cleary) he kept finding for him all the way up to the line.

"He's entered for Leopardstown next Thursday night over 1m5f again and we'll see how his legs are in the morning. The 1m4f Cork Derby is the plan and whether we go to Leopardstown between now and then, we'll decide later."

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Michael Graham