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Mallavelly brings up Keane's treble on Irish debut

Mallavelly and Colin Keane Mallavelly and Colin Keane
© Healy Racing Photos

Colin Keane completed a quickfire treble at Dundalk as Mallavelly made a successful Irish debut in the Willie Buckley Memorial Maiden.

The Siyouni filly was bought out of Jane Chapple-Hyam’s yard for 68,000 guineas after showing useful placed form last year and having been available at 13/2 overnight, was sent off a well backed 11/4 chance. Elana Osario set the pace but the 5/6 favourite was headed over a furlong out by Mallavelly who kept on well to score by a length and a half. Shaool kept on best of the remainder to take second with the odds-on favourite finishing a further three-quarters of a length back in third.

The victory completed a double for trainer Ger Lyons who said, “We don't work her at home. She is a little bit temperamental, so we have been cuddling her and doing plenty on the sand.

"This presented itself and I said I wasn't going to start her on soft ground, I want to start her up here. I don't do racecourse gallops, I like doing it on the track under racecourse conditions.

"I said I don't know whether she can or she can't but, if she runs to an English 78, she will be there or thereabouts. I always start with a blank canvas.

"Congratulations to David Spratt and Phil Burns of Gaelic Bloodstock, they have been finding horses for me for years. I don't know how they do it or what they see, they are great lads."

Lyons and Keane earlier teamed up with impressive juvenile Lady Iman while the Noel Meade-trained Billie Frechette initiated the champion jockey’s treble.

Quotes by Michael Graham

1st
11/4
Tote €3.75 €1.20
2nd
1.5L
15/2
€1.10
3rd
0.75L
5/6Fav
€1.30
4th
3.25L
11/2
About Alan Magee
Alan has worked in the racing industry for well over 30 years including with the Sporting Life, Turform and Irish Racing Services. He took up his current role as Irish Racing Team Leader with the Press Association in 2013. He has a keen interest in most sports and plays golf.