Colin Keane rode his first winner of 2022 as Jerandme (3/1) easily landed the BetVictor Proud To Support Irish Racing Race.

The Azamour gelding, wearing headgear for the first time, tracked the leader Travel On before being pushed along to lead two furlongs from home. He was soon ridden clear and had the race in safe keeping from the furlong marker. Grandmaster Flash came through to take second from Travel On inside the final furlong but was no threat to the winner who scored by five and half lengths. The 13/8 favourite Barbados was just about the first horse beaten and trailed home a distant sixth.

The successful Azamour eight-year-old has an excellent strike-rate with this being his third win on the Flat to go with five wins under National Hunt rules from a total of nineteen career starts across both codes.

Winning trainer Noel Meade said: “The handicapper can hardly be too hard on him at that age but we actually wouldn’t mind if he goes up a few pounds as we were hoping to run him in the Ascot Stakes, the two and a half miles handicap. He wouldn’t get into it off the mark he was on.

“That’s the long-term plan and what will happen between now and then I don’t know. We might do a bit of jumping but fast ground is very important for him.

“It’s great to have Colin back riding winners for us again. You just feel so confident when you have him up.”

AM & MN