COLIN Keane will have to sit out next Friday’s Dundalk fixture after picking up a one-day careless ban at this meeting, but the 2017 champion jockey did notch up a valuable double in his quest to wrestle back his crown from Donnacha O’Brien.

Keane’s ban came about en route to partnering Blue Uluru to victory in the five-furlong conditions race – the Ger Lyons-trained pacesetter shifted a little left with a furlong to run which hampered both the runner-up Primo Uomo and the fourth-placed All The King’s Men.

Blue Uluru and Colin Keane win for trainer Ger Lyons \ Healy Racing

An ensuing enquiry was never going to impact on Blue Uluru’s one-length success, but the winning rider was adjudged to have ridden carelessly.

The Nick Varney and Amy Vaughan King-owned four-year-old has been restricted to just three runs this season, which have all come in the last month, and she will be kept in training next year with a view to adding to the listed victory she recorded in 2018.

Keane then teamed up with Johnny Murtagh whose Siamese (2/1) improved from a pleasing debut fourth at Naas nine days previously to dominate the closing stages of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden. The Qatar Racing-owned daughter of Kitten’s Joy was at her strongest over the last furlong as she drew away to defeat Music To My Ears by three and a quarter lengths.

“I was hoping she could do that today with normal improvement from her first run. I’d see her as a mile and a quarter filly, but Colin said she’s not short of pace. She’s a nice filly,” stated Murtagh.

Sheridan shines

AFTER Colin Keane won the first two races, the promising apprentice Joey Sheridan won the next two to record the first double of his career. Sheridan’s brace began with Stella Star (16/1) who came good at the third attempt in the Foran Equine Irish EBF Maiden almost exactly a year after trainer Tom Mullins paid €23,000 for her at the Goffs Orby Sale. The willing daughter of Epaulette held every chance from the turn-in and showed a fine attitude to edge out the Keane-ridden Sliabh Aughty by a neck.

Sheridan then teamed up with his boss Denis Hogan as Sir Ottoman landed the ASM Accountants Apprentice Handicap on his first start since being claimed for €5,000 from English trainer Ivan Furtado at Laytown two weeks previously. The James McAuley-owned top-weight and 7/2 favourite went toe to toe with Highly Approved from early in the straight and got on top in the last few strides to score by a head.

Sir Ottoman and Joey Sheridan (left) won the ASM Accountants Apprentice Handicap from Highly Approved \ Healy Racing

Trainer Shay Barry sent out his first winner for 13 months as Pak Army (12/1) won the first divide of the 45-65 rated mile and a half handicap. On his first outing since contesting a Tramore maiden hurdle in May, Pak Army showed a tenacious attitude under Rory Cleary to fend off the very strongly supported evens favourite Cacique Royale. Pak Army is owned by John Bermingham, Gerard Walsh and Ian Butler.

The second divide of the mile and a half handicap went to Declan McDonogh and Charles O’Brien as Power Drive (6/1) appreciated a return to the flat. The Michael Keating-owned four-year-old was trying the flat for the first time since March but came here off a recent run over hurdles and made all to add this race to the Naas handicap that he won last year.