Lyons hopes for Curragh flyer
Ger Lyons hopes the The God Of Love and Rockazar show their true form in the Ladbrokes.com Irish Lincolnshire at the Curragh on Sunday.
The County Meath handler has high hopes former Henry Cecil inmate The God Of Love can provide Mick Kinane with a flying start to the new campaign.
“He did well last year but he is ideally a 10-furlong horse,” explained Lyons.
“He has done well physically over the winter and if he transfers that on the track, he could be well handicapped. The ground is going to be heavy so it will be a case of who handles it the best.
“A mile is normally too short for him but the ground will bring his stamina into play. You will need a 10-furlong horse to win it. “If his ability has improved as much as his physique he will be well handicapped – but we won’t know that until it runs.
“Rockazar is without doubt the best horse I have trained on the gallops. When his present owner bought him he was rated 65 and he is now in the 90s.
“He is a fine specimen of a horse and he could win the Lincoln no problem if it was run at home. He doesn’t like heavy ground and he is there to give his owner a day out but he will be trying his best.”
Among a host of potential threats in the valuable one-mile handicap is the Michael Halford-trained Deauville Vision.
The Danehill Dancer filly finished the 2006 campaign in good form by supplementing a course-and-distance victory with another success at Leopardstown.
Connections have been pleased with her progress throughout the winter months and are looking forward to seeing her back on the track this Sunday.
“She’s wintered well and she’s in good form,” reported Halford.
“This race is a big prize and she’s a course-and-distance winner who handles some ease in the ground so it was the obvious place to start off.
“It’s always a competitive race but she got her act together well at the end of last year and she’s gone the right way since.
“I don’t really know whether she’d love the heavy ground but she’ll handle it as well as most, I would think.”
