Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas
Group 1, Curragh 18:40
€250,000 added,
3yo only, 1m   
Friday 12th June 2020

Free Racing Tips

1 Siskin 2/1F
2 Vatican City 14/1
5 Lope Y Fernandez 9/2
11 ran Distances: 1¾l, ¾l, nse
Time: 1m 38.49s (slow by 1.49s)

The unbeaten Ger Lyons-trained Siskin was locked in a pocket on the rail with two furlongs of the mile Classic to run, but Colin Keane managed to get a run and once in the clear his mount quickened smartly to the front.

In what was a rough race, Aidan O’Brien’s Vatican City also finished to some effect but was a length and three-quarters away from the winner. Lope Y Fernandez, who got first run and looked like being the winner at one stage, was another three-quarters of a length back in third.

Owned by Khalid Abdullah, the 2-1 favourite provided Lyons and Keane with a first Classic success and added to his Group One victory in the Phoenix Stakes over six furlongs at the Curragh as a juvenile.

Lyons said: “This means everything, it means 30 years’ hard graft for everybody – to win a Guineas was always my number one and hopefully it’s the first of many.

“I’m delighted with the support we are getting from owners and the quality has increased year on year.

“That was hard work and full credit to Colin Keane. You don’t get a Guineas handed to you and they both stood up when it was needed. If there was a kink in that horse then he wasn’t going to go through that gap.

“Colin is the best there is at the minute. He’s only a kid and he’s going to keep improving.

“I also want to thank Khalid Abdullah, who is watching in Paris I’m sure. They are the ultimate breeders.”

Siskin had never previously run beyond six furlongs, and Lyons went on: “I was worried about this horse’s trip around February and March, but when we went into lockdown then I was confident that the trip wasn’t an issue. If we were a sprinter then we were in trouble because we weren’t quick enough.

“He’s a very easy horse to train and no question he’s the best I’ve trained.

“We’ll probably go to Goodwood next for the Sussex, but I want to keep Colin on him and hopefully the 14 days (quarantine) will be gone by then. We are definitely skipping Ascot.

“We’ll have a chat about it, but that was the plan providing he was good enough today.

“I know he gets the mile and I wouldn’t draw a line through 10 furlongs at the moment.”

Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas (Group 1)
1m , Race Value: €250,000
11 ran
Going: Good to Firm

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (2)  Siskin 3 9-2 G M Lyons Colin Keane 2/1F
2 (5) 1¾ Vatican City 3 9-2 A P O'Brien P B Beggy 14/1
3 (9) ¾ Lope Y Fernandez 3 9-2 A P O'Brien Seamie Heffernan 9/2
4 (4) nse Armory 3 9-2 A P O'Brien Wayne Lordan 4/1
5 (8) 1½ Fiscal Rules 3 9-2 J S Bolger Kevin Manning 16/1
6 (6) ¾ Sinawann 3 9-2 M Halford Ronan Whelan Ronan Whelan 14/1
7 (10) ½ Monarch Of Egypt 3 9-2 A P O'Brien Declan McDonogh 14/1
8 (3) 2 Royal Lytham 3 9-2 A P O'Brien Emmet McNamara 14/1
9 (1) 5 Fort Myers 3 9-2 A P O'Brien Michael Hussey 28/1
10 (11) 1¾ Rebel Tale 3 9-2 Andrew Slattery Ben Coen 125/1
11 (7) 11 Free Solo 3 9-2 Mrs John Harrington Shane Foley 20/1