MANY congratulations to Irish Olympian and leading show horse rider and producer Louise Lyons on saddling her first winner on the racecourse at Naas on Monday when Espion Du Chenet landed the two-mile handicap chase as the 5/1 favourite.

The six-year-old was having his sixth start for Lyons who had sent the chesnut out to finish third over two furlongs longer at Thurles last month. Espion Du Chenet was led up by his owner, the trainer’s partner Nicky Teehan, and was ridden for the second time by Ryan Treacy who lost his 3lb claim as a result of this success.

Louise purchased Espion Du Chenet as a yearling in his native France where he started his racing career at three, winning a hurdle over two-miles, three-furlongs on very soft ground at Auteuil in September 2017. After a couple of spells on the sidelines at Nicky and Louise’s base, Bluegate Stud, it was decided to keep the chesnut gelding at the Co Kilkenny farm and this move proved its worth on Monday.

In her post-race interview with Racing TV’s Gary O’Brien, Louise spoke briefly of her life in equestrianism and linked racing and showing together when relating that she had won the (2018) racehorse to riding horse championship at Dublin on Don Cossack. She described the feeling of riding that 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner as like sitting on a Ferrari.

While also telling Gary that she has 10 horses riding out – with room for more – Louise neglected to say that, as she is also mother of three young school-going children, riding out can only start after the daily school runs have been completed.