'He's just a freak, Dad' - Markaz Paname emulates Nijinsky in Gladness Stakes

Sunday: Curragh

What do Nijinsky and Markaz Paname have in common? Ger Lyons will be hoping quite a lot by the time the son of Markaz has finished his career, but for starters he can say they both won the Gladness Stakes as three-year-olds.

Nijinsky did the business in 1970 before going on to complete the Triple Crown that year, but three-year-olds have a terrible record in the Gladness and you had to rewind all the way to Softly Tread in 2001 to find the previous one to win it.

Lyons said of Markaz Paname: "Kerri [Ger's daughter] has just said to me, 'He's just a freak, Dad' and I said, 'You're right'.

"I'm happy now but beforehand I got very watery as I just thought it's impossible for a three-year-old to do that."

It turned out not to be impossible at all as the even-money favourite showed his talent in the Group 3 race under Colin Keane and found more than enough under pressure to beat stablemate Sh Boom by half a length. It was more emphatic than the winning margin suggests.

The winning trainer added: "That ground is as quick as he'd want. It's all about ground with him and he could have the summer off. You could be talking about the Ballycorus and races like that but he can't run on anything better than that ground. Seven is his trip. Colin knows he'll get further but not at the moment."

Earlier on the card Lyons and Keane teamed up to take what could turn out to be a red-hot maiden with Tough Talk in the familiar silks of Moyglare Stud.

'Stick to the jumps, Noel!'

"Stick to the jumps, Noel," Aidan O'Brien joked after Layfayette quickened up smartly to beat the O'Brien-trained High Definition in the Group 3 Hollywoodbets Alleged Stakes.

Meade is getting used to big winners at the Curragh and Layfayette could join last year's Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Helvic Dream - who was fourth here – in the Mooresbridge Stakes back at the Curragh next month.

Lafayette wins the Alleged Stakes from High Definition and Bear StoryCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Meade said: "The two of them did a little piece of work the other morning, Colin [Keane] rode the other fella and Oisin [Orr] rode Layfayette. He worked so well I said I couldn't not run him.

"He goes on any ground, maybe not heavy but he goes on most ground. He's just getting better and Oisin thinks he'll improve over a bit further."

First winner for John O'Donoghue

John Oxx was the first person to congratulate John O'Donoghue after the new resident of Currabeg Stables celebrated his first winner thanks to Cailin Cliste in the concluding handicap.

O'Donoghue, the 29-year-old former assistant to Roger Varian, said: "The opportunity to move into Currabeg came up and we took it with both hands. John is incredible and he was the first man to congratulate me. His advice is incredible and to have him looking over your shoulder is a huge plus."

Winning jockey Chris Hayes was completing a 33-1 double after scoring on the Jack Davison-trained Joyous Moment in the 6f maiden.

Results, replays and analysis

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