More boom than bust as Lyons bags another double
The progressive Boom To Bust, another winner for Big Bad Bob; justified odds-on favouritism in the one-mile Irish Stallion Farms Maiden, making virtually all the running under Johnny Murtagh and drawing clear in the last furlong and a half to beat longshot Gordon Lord Byron convincingly by four lengths.
Trainer Lyons, also in double form at Dundalk on Sunday, was not present. But his brother and assistant Shane commented: “He deserved that and has improved with every run. They went a nice gallop and Johnny said he showed a lot of speed, which is encouraging.
“It gives us more options with him and he might drop back to seven furlongs. He’s a fine big horse and everything he does this year is a bonus. He’s a smashing prospect for next year.”
The Lyons double was completed when Chocolate Hills, ridden by Niall McCullagh, proved best in the five-furlong Glebe House Stud Nursery, scoring emphatically from She’s My Dandy.
Chocolate Hills was the stable’s third winner for Sheikh Mohammed, a fact stressed by Shane Lyons, who also emphasised the input of Johnny Murtagh when explaining: “Johnny told us, after riding her in her three maiden runs, that she was a nursery filly and to run over her five furlongs, on a sharp track. She has plenty of speed and an honest attitude. She’ll go for another nursery.”
Without a win on the flat since scoring for Mick Channon at Redcar in July 2006, Pires proved a smooth winner of the concluding Hilltown (Amateur) Race.
Ridden for the first time by Nina Carberry, Pires came from off the pace and quickened away to beat Paddy The Celeb and longtime leader Duc De Savoie in good style, recording his first success since winning over hurdles at this two-day meeting last year.
Pires is trained by Tony Martin, who said: “He’s been a bit unlucky but he likes it here and the race was ideal for him, with the weights in his favour. Nina gave him a grand ride. We’ll probably continue to mix-it with him.”
