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John O'Riordan
Pier Pressure gives Lyons and Keane Dundalk double
Pier Pressure and Colin Keane right win for owner Mark Breen and trainer Ger Lyons from Hightimeyouwon Healy Racing
© Photo Healy Racing
Pier Pressure led close home under champion jockey Colin Keane to land the Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Stadium Rated Race at the County Louth track.
Successful earlier in the evening with debutant Madame Celeste, Keane once again teamed with with his boss Ger Lyons to take this competitive affair with the lightly raced son of Kingman.
Winner of his maiden over course and distance last month, the three-year-old gelding was held up in the early stages before being produced with a perfectly timed challenge at the furlong marker.
However, at that point, he looked booked for second place at best, as Hightimeyouwon quickened up to lead. Backers of the latter were left scratching their heads in disbelief as the seven-year-old virtually pulled himself up in front, handing the initiative to the Lyons runner.
At the line, the 100/30 chance had half-a-length to spare.
Assistant trainer Shane Lyons said: "He definitely got confidence from his victory the last day.
"He is a very lightly-raced horse and is only growing into himself so, for obvious reasons, that was another race on his belt the last day that he has progressed from.
"The blinkers definitely helped.
"Colin gave him a super ride in the sense that he thought Billy (Lee on Free Solo would bring him a bit further and then he switched over to Adam (Caffrey on Hightimeyouwon) and Adam's horse helped him.
"Mark (Breen) that owns him is in America and has been over to us a couple of times from America, he is a lovely man. He is not in the best of health at the minute and it will be a great tonic for him.
"He is a horse that will be sold, only at the right price. He is working his way up having fun and he is proving that he is a stalwart on this surface. He is there for anybody who wants a nice horse.
"He'll keep going until he is sold and will make a real good premier handicapper in the summer."
Additional reporting by Michael Graham.