Jockey Colin Keane will ride for Dermot Weld this season when not required by Ger Lyons, the Irish Field reports. Keane and Weld teamed up in November to win the GI Breeders' Cup Turf with Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), with Keane picking up the mount the day before the race when Christophe Soumillon was ruled out by a positive COVID test.
Weld said that jockey Oisin Orr, who rode Search For A Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for the trainer to win last year's G1 Irish St Leger, will remain part of the team.
“Oisin did very well to win his first Classic last season on Search For A Song and he will very much be involved,” Weld told the Irish Field. “When Christophe Soumillon tested positive for COVID-19 before the Breeders' Cup, I could have turned to one of the leading local jockeys. Johnny Velazquez was available, and Oisin Murphy's agent was also on the phone. But I just had a feeling that Colin would suit the mare. I had long admired Colin as a jockey, ever since he dethroned Pat Smullen as champion in 2017. I backed my judgement and the rest is history.”
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