Colin Keane

After lighting up Royal Ascot, a tilt at the Melbourne Cup could be on the cards for Crystal Black (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), with Ireland's reigning champion jockey Colin Keane explaining how the gelding has provided his father "with a new lease of life" after a horror fall in 2021 almost left the trainer paralysed.  The celebrations that followed Crystal Black's victory in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Ascot went unrivalled as the Wear A Pink Ribbon Syndicate who own the former Dermot Weld-trained inmate burst into song in the...

You can keep your fashionistas, foodies, royal processions and Group 1 races. Give me the scenes that followed the success of Crystal Black (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes any day of the week instead.  Win, lose or draw, the Wear A Pink Ribbon Syndicate who own Crystal Black came to Ascot for a party. Boy did their rapidly progressive gelding provide them with something to celebrate and the scenes that followed his success for the father and son team of Gerry and Colin Keane will go...

Ger Lyons trainee Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}--Pavlosk, by Arch) was all the rage at the tills for Friday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Cork and justified odds-on favouritism with a 'TDN Rising Star' display in the six-furlong contest. She becomes the fifth Rising Star for Kodiac, whose others include last term's G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas placegetter Hi Royal (Ire). Babouche, who holds entries for the June 29 G2 Airlie Stud S. and Aug. 19 G1 Keeneland Phoenix S., broke smartly and led the smaller far-side...

In rude health for Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh, Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}--Diagnostic {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) readily put old rival Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the shade for a career-best success. Behind that Ballydoyle supremo in the Derby, the John Murphy-trained grey had returned this term to garner the track's G3 Alleged S. and G2 Mooresbridge S. and the backers were suitably respectful as his odds hardened to 15-8 before the off. Cruising under a confident Colin Keane with Auguste...

Bouncing back from a return sixth in the seven-furlong G3 Ballylinch Stud "Priory Belle" S. at Leopardstown last month, Juddmonte's illustriously-bred Wendla (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}--Intercontinental {GB}, by Danehill) benefitted from a masterclass from Colin Keane to cause a minor upset back at that venue in Sunday's G3 Al Shira'aa Racing "Mutamakina" S. Always at the fore with the pace modest, the Ger Lyons-trained daughter of the operation's high-class Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine led the sprint for home in the mile test and had enough in hand to...

Continuing his perfect start to the current campaign, Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) added The Curragh's G2 Coolmore Stud Sottsass Irish EBF Mooresbridge S. to last month's G3 Alleged S. success with the minimum of fuss on Monday. Third in the Derby last June after taking the G3 Ballysax S. and finishing runner-up in the G2 Dante S., the John Murphy-trained grey stalked the leader Greenland (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) early under Colin Keane before taking over approaching the two-furlong pole. Too strong from there, the 2-1 favourite...

Colin Keane retains the title of Irish Champion Jockey, his fourth in succession and fifth overall, Horse Racing Ireland announced on Thursday. Joining Keane on the podium will be Aidan O'Brien and Sue Magnier, who also retain their titles of trainer and owner, respectively, while Jamie Powell is favoured to earn the Irish Champion Apprentice title. Keane earned his championship by riding to an unassailable lead in late August. He celebrated group wins aboard Zarinsk (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) on three occasions. In addition, he also rode Group 3 winners for...

There is toughness in racehorses and then there is Zarinsk (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) and Juddmonte's irrepressible front-runner played her usual trump card for a career-best success in Leopardstown's G2 Romanised Minstrel S. on Thursday. In front early and again passing two out, the G3 Brownstown S., G3 Cornelscourt S. and Listed Ingabelle S. winner kept pulling it out to justify 11-5 favouritism by 3/4 of a length from Honey Girl (GB) (Mayson {GB}). This was win number four from her last six starts, with her run interrupted by a fourth...

Michael O'Callaghan trainee Kairyu (Ire) (Kuroshio {Aus}--Vegatina {GB}, by Lope De Vega {Ire}) was the clear-cut winner of a five-furlong Naas maiden last month and franked the promise of that debut score with an upset win upped in trip for Saturday's G3 Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey S. at the Curragh. Kairyu employed patient tactics from flagfall and lobbed along off the pace in sixth through the early fractions. Making smooth headway once past halfway, the 4-1 chance quickened beyond rivals to seize control approaching the final furlong and...

Dylan Browne McMonagle has been provided with a golden opportunity to record his first Classic success in the saddle with the news that John Murphy has snapped up the young riding sensation for White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) ahead of Sunday's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.  White Birch overcame a nightmare start to finish an excellent third in the Derby behind Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). He was ridden at Epsom by Colin Keane but, with the reigning Irish champion jockey suspended for Sunday's highlight, Murphy has turned to...

Hard to believe that Colin Keane was 0-50 at Ascot before booting Villanova Queen (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) home to record an emotional victory for Jessica Harrington in the Kensington Palace Fillies' Handicap. Anyone with even a passing interest in Irish racing will know that Keane is right up there with the best riders in Europe and his royal winner was long overdue.  Of course, it came in rather fortuitous circumstances, with Keane deputising for Harrington's number one rider Shane Foley, who was cruelly ruled out for six weeks after breaking...

John Murphy has reported White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) to have come out of his third-placed Derby effort in good order and says that he is looking forward to the rematch with Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh insisting "there's no hiding now". Despite breaking slowly at Epsom on Saturday, White Birch made tremendous late ground to finish a good third under Colin Keane, leaving connections optimistic about what the future may hold for the grey. "It was a relief. We were absolutely...