Lyons: Keane is one of the world's best jockeys after Magnum Force win
Ger Lyons becomes just the sixth Irish trainer to saddle a Breeders' Cup winner
Saturday, 02 November 2024
Colin Keane claimed his second Breeders' Cup win - in just his fourth ride - as Magnum Force won the Juvenile Turf Sprint for trainer Ger Lyons (Racing Post Photos)
I know I can't feed him with the ammunition he needs, I need the world to wake up to him. When you've got a rider like Colin Keane on your side, this job is so easy.
Colin Keane will be the first to admit he's not a natural jetsetter but his trainer wants the world to wake up and put some respect on his name, writes James Toney at Del Mar.
Keane flew around the iconic Californian track on Magnum Force to claim the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint for Ger Lyons, making his boss just the sixth Irishman to train a winner at racing's World Championships.
And then he dashed even quicker to the airport to make the red eye out of San Diego, so he can be back home to collect his sixth Champion Jockey title at Sunday's Season Finale at the Curragh.
In flashy California, there are plenty of showmen but Keane still prefers to fly under the radar - and past his rivals, this his second career win at the meeting, following his success on Dermot Weld's Tarnawa four years ago in Keeneland.
"Colin is such an understated man and so humble, I think he's the most underrated Champion Jockey in the world," said Lyons.
"He's a bit too much like his trainer sometimes, he likes to stay at home on the farm and walk his dogs. He's had four rides at the Breeders' Cup and he's won two. I know I can't feed him with the ammunition he needs, I need the world to wake up to him.
"When you've got a rider like Colin on your side, this job is so easy."
Keane modestly deflects such praise, insisting he owes all his success to his boss from the Boyne Valley, a partnership of ten years and counting that continues to deliver.
"You don't get much time to enjoy these things, I've got plenty of rides on Sunday to focus on," he said.
"When I won my first Breeders' Cup it was during Covid, the crowd and the atmosphere here was a different level to anything I've experienced, just like nothing else."
Lyons's Classic breakthrough also came behind closed doors, Siskin and Even So winning the Irish 1000 Guineas and Oaks in the space of just a few short weeks in 2020.
"I felt we were all robbed of the moment, standing on our own in the stands," he added, this time around he more than made amends with the celebrations. "This experience is what every sportsman wants, you have winning days and losing days but money just can't buy feelings like this.
"The sky is the limit next year for Magnum Force, we came here to teach him how to sprint and he's been phenomenal. We're just going to enjoy him and we can't wait for next season. I knew the horse was the right one for the job, we just didn't know if he was good enough.
"A huge credit to the horse and the team, there's plenty of us guys who can do this if we get the horses, it's a simple as that. If a clown like me can train a winner of the Breeders' Cup, then anyone can."
Keane flew around the iconic Californian track on Magnum Force to claim the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint for Ger Lyons, making his boss just the sixth Irishman to train a winner at racing's World Championships.
And then he dashed even quicker to the airport to make the red eye out of San Diego, so he can be back home to collect his sixth Champion Jockey title at Sunday's Season Finale at the Curragh.
In flashy California, there are plenty of showmen but Keane still prefers to fly under the radar - and past his rivals, this his second career win at the meeting, following his success on Dermot Weld's Tarnawa four years ago in Keeneland.
Ger Lyons becomes the sixth Irish trainer to win a #BreedersCup race and we think he enjoyed that. #GreenTeam pic.twitter.com/kw4TEgcaPU
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) November 1, 2024
"Colin is such an understated man and so humble, I think he's the most underrated Champion Jockey in the world," said Lyons.
"He's a bit too much like his trainer sometimes, he likes to stay at home on the farm and walk his dogs. He's had four rides at the Breeders' Cup and he's won two. I know I can't feed him with the ammunition he needs, I need the world to wake up to him.
"When you've got a rider like Colin on your side, this job is so easy."
Keane modestly deflects such praise, insisting he owes all his success to his boss from the Boyne Valley, a partnership of ten years and counting that continues to deliver.
"You don't get much time to enjoy these things, I've got plenty of rides on Sunday to focus on," he said.
"When I won my first Breeders' Cup it was during Covid, the crowd and the atmosphere here was a different level to anything I've experienced, just like nothing else."
Lyons's Classic breakthrough also came behind closed doors, Siskin and Even So winning the Irish 1000 Guineas and Oaks in the space of just a few short weeks in 2020.
"I felt we were all robbed of the moment, standing on our own in the stands," he added, this time around he more than made amends with the celebrations. "This experience is what every sportsman wants, you have winning days and losing days but money just can't buy feelings like this.
"The sky is the limit next year for Magnum Force, we came here to teach him how to sprint and he's been phenomenal. We're just going to enjoy him and we can't wait for next season. I knew the horse was the right one for the job, we just didn't know if he was good enough.
"A huge credit to the horse and the team, there's plenty of us guys who can do this if we get the horses, it's a simple as that. If a clown like me can train a winner of the Breeders' Cup, then anyone can."