Keane and O'Brien duel moves on to Fairyhouse Colin Keane and Donnacha O’Brien continue their battle to be crowned this season’s champion jockey at Fairyhouse. Keane — winner of title in 2017 — leads reigning champion O’Brien by three winners heading into the new week, with 87 and 84 their respective tallies. With Keane in action at Ayr on Saturday, O’Brien would have hoped to close the gap at Gowran Park, but that fixture was called off because of thunder and lightning. Keane has seven rides this afternoon to O’Brien’s four at Fairyhouse, and gets down to his lowest weight to partner Vormir in the opening claimer. A comprehensive winner at Naas last week, the Ger Lyons-trained juvenile will be well fancied to follow up just five days later. O’Brien may strike back in the following Dandy Man Maiden aboard Myth Creation, trained by his brother Joseph. The daughter of More Than Ready has shown a consistent level of ability since arriving from America — filling the runner-up spot twice and finishing fourth on three occasions. This seven-furlong contest looks a good opportunity for her to get her head in front for the first time. Overall, Keane appears to have a stronger book of rides than O’Brien. He will have high hopes of landing the featured Blenheim Stakes aboard Soul Search, who was fourth in the Moyglare Stud Stakes little over a week ago, while Major Reward will not be winning out of turn if coming good in the concluding Winter Festival 30th Nov/1st Dec. Handicap. Before then, Keane partners First Thing for Noel Meade in the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Maiden. The chestnut son of Dawn Approach improved significantly from his Curragh debut to finish third at Listowel on his second start, and a similar step forward will give him every chance of making it third time lucky.
