Ger Lyons | Horse Racing Free Tips

Glass Slippers Tries For Second Flying Five Stakes Win At The Curragh

Irish Champions Weekend concludes at The Curragh on Sunday with two Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win and You're In” races headlining the card. The winner of the Group 1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes will receive an automatic starting position into the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, and the winner of the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes earns a free spot into the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into corresponding races of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6.

Last year the Bearstone Stud-owned Glass Slippers (GB) earned an automatic berth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint with a victory in the G1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes, before following up with success in the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

This year, the Kevin Ryan-trained mare, a 5-year-old daughter of Dream Ahead, faces 12 rivals in the five-furlong contest. Tom Eaves, who has ridden the mare in 17 of her 18 starts, will again be in the saddle.

Heading the opposition is the King Power Racing owned 3-year-old filly Winter Power (IRE), who earned an automatic entry into the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint with a victory in the Group 1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York last month.

Trained in Yorkshire, England, by Tim Easterby, the daughter of Bungle Inthejungle (GB) has won six of her last eight starts and will be ridden by former British champion jockey Silvestre De Sousa.

The Archie Watson-trained Dragon Symbol (GB), was first past the post in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, but was placed second behind the Wesley Ward-trained Campanelle (IRE) following a Stewards' Enquiry, and is another strong contender from Britain.

The 3-year-old was third behind Winter Power in the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes last time out and jockey Oisin Murphy believes the undulating track will suit. Murphy said: “He's been knocking on the door in Group 1 company all season and we're trying to find the key; so hopefully the stiff nature of The Curragh's five furlongs will help. Hopefully, it will bring him and Winter Power closer together. He's in very good shape.”

The Irish-trained contenders include the Jack Davison-trained Mooneista (IRE) who defeated Gustavus Weston (IRE) and Romantic Proposal (IRE) in the Group 2 Paddy Power Sapphire Stakes over course and distance in July.

Homeless Songs out to Preserve Unbeaten Record in Moyglare Stud Stakes

Impressive Leopardstown maiden winner Homeless Songs (IRE) faces seven juvenile fillies as she bids to make it two wins from two starts in the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.

Owned by the race sponsors Moyglare Stud Farms and trained by Dermot Weld ― who enjoyed a breakthrough Breeders' Cup success with Tarnawa (IRE) at Keeneland last year ― the daughter of Frankel (GB) defeated subsequent stakes winner Agartha (IRE) by two lengths on debut.

Since finishing second behind Homeless Songs in July, the Joseph O'Brien-trained Agartha (IRE) has gone on to win the Group 3 Frank Conroy Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown and the Group 2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes over course and distance last month. The second, third, and seventh-placed horses that day ― Sunset Shiraz (IRE), Discoveries (IRE), and Concert Hall (IRE) ― all take her on again here.

Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien has won the seven-furlong contest a record nine times and fields two this year with Prettiest (USA), a daughter of Dubawi (IRE), and the mount of Ryan Moore, and Concert Hall, who will be ridden by Seamie Heffernan.

The eight-runner field is completed by the Ger Lyons trained Caidre Go Deo (FR) and big-priced outsider Missing Matron (IRE), trained by Jim Bolger.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winners of the Challenge Series winners to start at this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be run at Del Mar. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of $40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 25 to receive the rewards.

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Wootton Bassett’s Atomic Jones Prevails At Leopardstown

Fresh from winning the opening Listed Ingabelle S. on Saturday, Ger Lyons and Colin Keane combined to enjoy the perfect start to Leopardstown's Irish Champions Day when following up in the G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile S. with Atomic Jones (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). Owned by Sean Jones, David Spratt and Lynne Lyons, the bay who had won on his sole start in a seven-furlong maiden at The Curragh June 27 was restrained early from his low draw to race with two behind. Switched outside with three furlongs remaining, the 10-1 shot had plenty still ahead a furlong later but unleashed a sustained surge of acceleration to overhaul Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) 100 yards from the line. Battling from there, he registered a head verdict over that 10-3 joint favourite, with Absolute Ruler (War Front) a further half a length away in the first of several close finishes on the day.

Ger Lyons was racing for the first time in person for several months and was rewarded with a remarkable four-timer. “He's a fantastic big, strong Wootton Bassett–to be honest, he's one that I thought I'd be introducing at this time of year with one run before being put away for the winter,” he said. “That's it for this year and I'd say he'll be introduced at the same trip when he comes back, but he is one for 10 furlongs. He's a huge baby and I'd say he's a smart horse with plenty of ability. He's done that without even knowing he's done it, just pure raw ability. I think he's typical of the sire, good, strong and dependable and I love to see horses hit the line strong, as it shows you have something to work with. He's 70% there at the moment, if he is that much. Full credit to Kerri [Lyons] and the team, he was a good buy at Book 1 and Sean [Jones] and David [Spratt] are a huge part of the outfit, so anything I can repay them with is good.”

As his trainer stated, Atomic Jones was a relatively inexpensive 95,000gns purchase at the Book 1 Sale, with his dam Loyale (Fr) (Turtle Bowl {Ire}) being a half to the GIII Dixiana Bourbon S. scorer and GII With Anticipation S. runner-up Keep Quiet (Elusive Quality) and the GII Clemente H. and GIII Pucker Up S. winner Little Treasure (Fr) (Night Shift). The latter is responsible for the GII La Canada S. winner More Chocolate (Malibu Moon), who was runner-up three times at the top level, while Loyale is also kin to the G3 Prix Allez France second Harem Lady (Fr) (Teofilo {Ire}) and the listed-paced Annee Lumiere (Ire) (Giant's Causeway), who is in turn responsible for the G3 Park S. winner and GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. runner-up New York Girl (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}).

This is also the family of last year's G3 Prix la Rochette scorer Go Athletico (Fr) (Goken {Fr}) and the GII Goldikova S. winner Rhythm of Light (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}), while the listed-winning third dam Bague Bleue (Ire) (Last Tycoon {Ire}) is a full-sister to the four-times group 1-winning sire Bigstone (Ire) and a half to the Listed Prix Imprudence winner Blue Cloud (Ire) (Nashwan). She is in turn the dam of the G3 Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial winner Empowering (Ire) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), who produced the G2 Royal Lodge S. scorer Mohawk (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Loyale's son of Anodin (Ire) sells next week in the Osarus September Yearling Sale.

Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
KPMG CHAMPIONS JUVENILE S.-G2, €125,000, Leopardstown, 9-11, 2yo, 8fT, 1:42.75, gd.
1–ATOMIC JONES (FR), 131, c, 2, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Loyale (Fr), by Turtle Bowl (Ire)
2nd Dam: Luminosity (GB), by Sillery
3rd Dam: Bague Bleue (Ire), by Last Tycoon (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (€75,000 Wlg '19 ARQDE; 95,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Sean Jones, David Spratt & Lynne Lyons; B-Gestut Zur Kuste AG & S.A.R.L. Riviera Equine (FR); T-Ger Lyons; J-Colin Keane. €75,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $100,199. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stone Age (Ire), 131, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Bonanza Creek (Ire), by Anabaa. O-Peter M Brant & Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-White Birch Farm SC (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €25,000.
3–Absolute Ruler, 131, c, 2, War Front–Together Forever (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Donnacha O'Brien. €12,500.
Margins: HD, HF, NO. Odds: 10.00, 3.30, 5.00.
Also Ran: Howth (Ire), Manu Et Corde (Ire), Buckaroo (GB), I Am Magic (Ire), John the Baptist (Ire), Maritime Wings (Ire), Once Upon a River (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Breeders’ Cup Possible For Sacred Bridge

Friday's G3 Round Tower S. heroine Sacred Bridge (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), who races in the colours of breeder Juddmonte, is a possible starter in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, as long as her European campaign concludes in satisfactory fashion, trainer Ger Lyons revealed to the Nick Luck Daily Podcast. The four-for-four bay's next target is the G1 Cheveley Park S. on Sept. 25.

Lyons, who saddled his 1,000th winner on Monday, told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, “The little filly gave me a 'wow' feeling on Friday–it was her fourth win, but I didn't get a 'wow' off her until Friday. That was a 'wow' performance.

“She literally goes through the motions at home and does what she's done. Every time I've gone to the races I've kept thinking 'is she up to this?', and every time she's produced.

“I love training 2-year-olds, and it's for that reason–you don't know what you're uncovering. It's when they hit the ceiling you go on to the next one, but she's still on the rise.

“Subject to us talking to the [Abdullah] family and everybody being on the same page, that's [Cheveley Park] where you would go with her.”

Sacred Bridge saluted at Naas when unveiled on June 23 and captured Tipperary's Listed Coolmore Ten Sovereigns Tipperary S. just seven days later. A winner of the €300,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane S. on Aug. 2, she was 3 3/4 lengths ahead of her rivals in the Round Tower.

Lyons added, “There's a lot of options open with her, including a trip to the States at the end of the year. If she stays in this form why not, that would have to come into the conversation that we'll be having close to the time.”

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Ger Lyons Saddles 1,000th Winner

Irish trainer Ger Lyons reached his 1,000th-winner milestone when Offiah (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) won the Class Grass H. at Roscommon on Monday. Aboard the 5-1 shot was Colin Keane, who was also in the saddle for Lyons's first two Classic winners-2020 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas victor Siskin (First Defence) and 2020 G1 Irish Oaks heroine Even So (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Lyons celebrated his first winner in 1994, and his first Royal Ascot success was in the G2 Queen Mary S. with Elletelle (Ire) (Elnadim) in 2007. The G1 Cheveley Park S. of 2011 went to Lyons trainee Lightening Pearl (Ire) (Marju {Ire}).

“Ger is so dedicated,” said Lyons's brother and assistant trainer Shane Lyons. “He just loves animals and that shines through with certain horses, especially this lad.

“He doesn't copy what other trainers do–he thinks outside the box. Sometimes you think 'this lad is losing it', but all of a sudden you realise none of us would have thought of that with certain genius things that he does.

“It's been a great ride and it will be a long ride for the next 1,000, but hopefully we are still there for it. We're delighted to get it in Roscommon as well as it's a very lucky track for us. Michael Finneran and his crew are very good to us and have great facilities which they are always upgrading.

“The horse was threatening to do that for a long time and it's great for Sean Jones and David Spratt to be part of this historic winner.”

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