Leopardstown Sunday: Reports, reaction and free video replays

Lyons and Keane in flying form

Zarinsk (11/2) made almost every yard of the running on her first attempt over a mile in the Cornelscourt Stakes at Leopardstown on Sunday.

An encouraging third on her seasonal reappearance in a Group Three 1000 Guineas Trial in April, Ger Lyons' filly put that race fitness to good advantage in the testing conditions and she had just enough up her sleeve to gain a third career success and first at this level.

A length to the good rounding the final turn, Colin Keane kicked off the bend and Zarinsk immediately opened up by around three lengths with several of her rivals toiling. The inevitable challengers did emerge from the pack as Zarinsk's stride shortened inside the distance but her lead was still a length and a quarter at the line.

Tarawa ran a race full of promise in second with Aspen Grove and American Sonja (2/1 favourite) the next two home.

It was a second winner on the card for Keane following the victory of Azazat in the second (see below).

Lyons has no grand plans for the winner, saying: "Delighted, things have been slow, we haven't ran much, we said we'd get going after Punchestown so it's nice to do it in a stakes race. She's honest, a lovely filly, ground comes whatever way, bit hard on herself - too honest probably - and I'd say the last half a furlong was a long way for her.

"We knew we'd be involved and get black type and anything after that is a bonus. We know we're a long way from the top table with her so we're just going to try and place her to get as much black type as possible. I think we'd knock that (The Irish 1000 Guineas) on the head but I will talk to Barry (Mahon, racing manager for owner's Juddmonte) and the family about that; I think we have to be realistic."

Lyons is hopeful, however, that she could take her chance at Irish Champions Weekend towards the end of the season.

"I would think so," he continued. "By the time that comes around she will have matured into a nice racehorse by that stage and there's a Group Two here that could be an ideal race for her."

The trainer is rebuilding his squad this season but believes he has a nice team of youngsters at his disposal.

"We only started them this week, I like my two-year-olds, I always have done and we've a nice bunch," he said.

"We had no intention of starting them before, the ground has been horrendous and the ground at Naas yesterday was beautiful, the rain missed it, and I said that when Punchestown was out of the way we'd kick on regardless and we've done that. A little bit hit and miss this week with four or five seconds - nothing is easy in this world so we'll have to work hard for whatever we're gonig to get this summer.

"Older horses are ordinary enough I would think. Couple of dreams still but we retired or moved on a lot of stakes horses last year and they're very hard to replace."

Lyons has recently been granted his pilot's licence having been encouraged to take up a new hobby by his wife.

"I went and got a hobby, I learned how to fly but I just forgot to learn how to land!" he explained.

"That might come in useful when these horses start running bad. It's something to do, get the brain in gear and I've met up with some lovely people down at Navan airfield and they've been very good to me. When you're training and you know nothing but horses, it's nice to do something different."

Power-packed finish from Keane

Keane had to work hard to complete his treble in the Group Three Amethyst Stakes with Power Under Me (9/1) having to work hard to deny You Send Me.

Also trained by Lyons, Power Under Me was in fourth in a tightly bunched field entering the home straight and was forced to come wide but the Mehmas gelding kept finding for his jockey as the pace quickened and battled on well to win by half a length.

It was a sixth career success for Power Under Me who had done most of his racing over sprint trips prior to being stepped up to a mile at the backend of last season.

He was too keen over that distance on his reappearance before disappointing over seven on heavy ground but there were reasons for those defeats as Keane explained: "He was a bit ring-rusty the first day and the boss said he hadn't done much with him between his first and second run so he probably needed it a bit more than we thought, he hasn't missed a beat since and he showed his true colours today."

Reflecting on his two early victories, Keane said: "Zarinsk ran a good race on her return in the trial.

"She's a filly who likes to get on with it, and the first day it was a fraction slow and the horses were coming in front of me; when she's in front she relaxes and gets into a rhythm and she can pick up off it; she's not a bad filly.

"Azazat is a nice filly, I was delighted to get the leg over on her. Handles the ground well, getting the weight off the big colts, nice type of filly."

Murtagh's Shar thing

Very few runners got into the John R Fitzpatrick Agricultural Contractor Maiden with the market vibes proving accurate.

In the absence of forecast favourite Eternal Silence, Sharlouk was sent off as the 6/5 market leader and his supporters never had a moment's worry with Ben Coen jumping his charge out to hold a prominent early position.

The pair moved into a close third and got a lovely run around the final bend and were able to move onto the outside of market rival and leader Subzero as they straightened up. Sharlouk readily picked up Subzero and kept on well to win by two and a half lengths.

There were a further five and a half lengths back to 150/1 chance Mimosa Park in third.

It was a third career start for Sharlouk and second of the season and trainer Johnny Murtagh felt the experience was key.

"The plan since he ran here the last day was to come here for a nice seven furlong race back on the track he ran well on the last time," the winning trainer told Racing TV.

"Maybe didn't get home over a mile on heavy ground but it was nice to see that one out.

"Ben says he is a big gross horse who will improve with a bit of racing and being by Zoustar you would like to think that he will handle better ground. In fairness to the horse he had good form, his last run was good and we thought stepping back to seven furlongs would really suit him.

"I haven't spoken to Pat (Downes, racing manager for the Aga Khan) yet, or the team, but today was important that he got a win and we think he's going to improve for a bit of racing so we'll see how he comes out of the race and make a plan but he's got an engine and could make up into a nice horse."

Oaks option for easy winner Azazat

Murtagh will surely have been pleased with the run of Tom The Second in the Captain Dara Fitzpatrick Memorial Maiden, stepping up considerably on his Dundalk debut.

Tom The Second was caught for third on the line by St Vincents Garden who was doing all of his best work at the end of the 12 furlongs as befits a race which had been won by the likes of The Mediterranean, Southern France and Bondi Beach, all of whom went on to be placed in the English St Leger.

They were all trained by Aidan O'Brien whose Queenstown made a bold bid in first time blinkers but the Galileo colt didn't look entirely straightforward on his second racecourse start and, in any event, was readily picked up by 4/6 favourite Azazat.

Settled in the first half of midfield by Colin Keane, the Group One entered Azazat picked up well in the straight and had little trouble opening her account at the third attempt by almost five lengths.

Betfair Sportsbook and Sky Bet cut Azazat to 25/1 (from 40s) for the Oaks at Epsom.

Kris Weld, representing father Dermot, was pleased with the performance, saying: "Absolutely delighted, she's a lovely filly.

"We were a little brave running her because we were taking on colts and also the ground was closer to heavy after 7mm of rain overnight but the timing of the race suited well and she was in good form so we thought we'd take our chance."

Keane was stepping in for Chris Hayes, on duty for the stable at Newmarket where he's due to partner Tahiyra, favourite for the 1000 Guineas, and Weld revealed that the jockey was impressed with Azazat.

"He was," Weld replied. "He won on his half-sister in Cork and he said they were quite similar. She appreciated going up to a mile and a half today and I think she's a filly that will do well later in the year. She could (take her chance in an Oaks trial), definitely, there's a race at Naas and she's entered in the Ribblesdale but we'll see how she comes out of the race and make a plan going forwards."

Warm Heart is easy to find

The favourites completed a clean sweep of the maidens when Warm Heart (13/8) kept on well to land the Clayton Hotel sponsored contest over 10 furlongs.

The fillies' heat looked an interesting race on paper and the 'right' horses came to the fore with the well-supported Aidan O'Brien trained winner denying runners from the yards of Joseph O'Brien and Dermot Weld with the remainder quite well strung out.

Warm Heart, a daughter of Galileo, didn't make her debut until November and was an unfancied 16/1 shot on that occasion but she took a step forwards next time (second at 4/1) and again here. Warm Heart holds a number of big-race entries including the Epsom and Irish Oaks, the Ribblesdale and Pretty Polly Stakes.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong told irishracing.com: “She’s a lovely filly and had two nice runs in maidens. It was a proper run maiden from start to finish.

“She is a filly with plenty of class and one to look forward to over that trip. She could get a bit further, but there's plenty of lovely races for her at a mile and a quarter. Hopefully she is a stakes filly in the making.”

The fitting of a visor made all the difference to Smooth Tom (10/1) who reversed recent form with a few rivals in winning the May Friday Night Party At Leopardstown Handicap.

The four-year-old was wide on the track rounding the home turn but travelling kindly for Andrew Slattery who bided his time before asking his mount to quicken and he didn't need to get too serious with Smooth Tom who galloped through the line to win by three lengths from 9/2 favourite Giladah.

Some unexposed three-year-olds produced an exciting finish in the closing Fund A New Home For Festina Lente Handicap.

There were four in a line approaching the final furlong but Donnach O'Brien's stablemates Amusement (4/1) and Teutates pulled clear of Water Nymph.

It appeared as though Amusement was going the better but she couldn't shake off the challenge of Teutates who showed improved form in first-time cheekpieces.

The judge took a long time to call the result of the photo before announcing Amusement as first past the post to the delight of her 7 lb apprentice jockey Paddy Harnett who sported a big smile on his way back to the winner's enclosure.

The winning margin was just a nose.

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