Mutasarref delights Lyons with Leopardstown success

Gary Carson
June 13, 2024 5:38 pm

Irish Champions Weekend a likely target.

Mutasarref landed the first Group Three win of his career in the BoyleSports Ballycorus Stakes at Leopardstown.

Trained by Ger Lyons, the six-year-old has been a consistent performer throughout his career and was winning for the eighth time in all.

Three times a Listed scorer already, he has resumed this season in great form and Colin Keane was confident the whole way on the 5-4 favourite, sitting in third place.

Special Wan, having just the fourth run of her life, laid down a big challenge in the final furlong on 5lb worse terms than their last meeting, but Mutasarref just had enough in reserve.

“He’s a legend. In his own grade around here he’s brilliant,” said Lyons.

“That’s the one-two from Naas, I thought the filly was going to have him today, but he’s just a legend of a horse.

“Colin said he’s back to what he was before his little nick.

“I think that’s Eleanora’s (Kennedy, owner) 19th winner since she came to Ireland, which is fantastic in a short space of time. You can’t beat being lucky.

“Eleanora is invited over to Goodwood on Sussex Stakes day and the only race he’s qualified for is the Sussex Stakes, but I don’t think that’s the right thing to do with the horse, you’d be over facing him.

“The secret to the horse is keeping in his own company, as he tries so hard. I run the horses where it suits them and Eleanora understands that.

“We’ll pick our pots and aim for (Irish) Champions Weekend and have a good day out here.”

Lyons and Keane had already been on the mark with even-money favourite Transcending in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Fillies Maiden.

Willie McCreery’s Jancis looks a filly with a future following her startling 40-1 debut success.

Billy Lee’s mount was seemingly going nowhere with two furlongs to run and only had a couple of her 14 rivals behind her as Dermot Weld’s Ebanza cruised to the front.

However, Jancis soon engaged top gear and began to make rapid headway, looking set to hit the frame.

It got better than that, though, because as soon as she knew what she was meant to be doing she quickened again to win Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies & Mares Maiden going away by two and three-quarter lengths.

“They went very hard up front. Billy said she jumped smart but he just wanted to settle her in,” said McCreery.

“She’s a bit nervous and the whole thing about today was to get her started. The owner has been very patient with her and we wanted to get her started, give her a good day out and see where we go from there.

“She turned in and Billy said he gave her a chance and she just lengthened the whole way to the line and she loved it.

“How good the race was, I don’t know. She’s been doing that at home, but she’s just a little bit leery, she’s nervous and hasn’t got confidence in herself. That will do her the world of good, she only got one flick there.

“Nancy Sexton sent her to me. Those colours are 100 years old in Chile and it’s the first time they’ve been seen here in Ireland so it’s a great pleasure to train a winner first time out for Arturo (Cousino).

“Hopefully it’s onwards and upwards with her.”