Bucky Larson comes home a clear winner under Colin Keane© Photo Healy Racing
Colin Keane moved one ahead of Billy Lee (90-89) in the race to be crowned Champion Jockey, as Bucky Larson ran out an easy winner of the opener at Dundalk, the Dundalk Stadium Claiming Race.
In truth, Lee's title challenge is all but over after his appeal against a ban which will rule him out of the last two days of the season, was dismissed this morning.
Third over the course and distance on Friday, Bucky Larson was expected to go a few places better this afternoon, going off the clear market leader at 2/5 (8/13 early).
Settled behind the leaders in third, the Ger Lyons trained seven-year-old travelled strongly to challenge early in the straight, hitting the front with less than two furlongs to race.
The son of Footstepsinthesand quickly had matters under control and stretched clear in the closing stages, coming home four-and-a-half lengths to the good.
.Prioritise (13/2) ran on well to take second under Shane Foley for James McAuley, while Majestic Colt (6/1) was another two-and-three-parts of a length back in third.
Assistant trainer Shane Lyons said: "He's been a good stalwart, he's a great work horse and he's done his job.
"It's a pity the race is only 15 (maximum claiming price of E15,000) but, at the same time, we are great supporters of claiming races - we believe in them. The Horses in Training Sale was on yesterday and this is as good, if not better.
"If he is claimed, we wish the best of luck to the next people.
"It is a nice winner for Colin to get him on the board for the championship.
"So he should (travelled well in that company), he was a 100 horse in his day and he ran really well on Friday and, if he backed that up at all, that's the way he should have done it and he did it."
Additional reporting by Michael Graham
