Keane now 1-8 for fourth jockeys' title after Yaxeni pulls out all the stops

Sunday: Naas

Course commentator Jerry Hannon obviously felt it could be a turning point in the big championship battle.

"It's developing into a title match between Colin Keane and Billy Lee," roared Hannon entering the final furlong of the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Bluebell Stakes, as Lee on Term Of Endearment bore down on the front-running favourite Yaxeni and Keane.

But Yaxeni and his jockey are tough as nails and pulled out more to keep them bay and win by half a length.

Keane is now into 1-8 from 1-6 with Paddy Power to win his fourth title as he edged four in front (85 winners to 81). Lee was pushed out to 9-2 from 7-2.

The defending champion said: "It's nice to keep the winners ticking over and hopefully we can get a few more. We've had a nice year."

On Yaxeni, he said: "It's autopilot with her. She always wings the gates and rolls along in front. If you leave her alone, she gets the breathers in herself. When you ask her, she really picks up and always gallops to the line.

"She's a great bit of stuff and she'll be missed next year. I didn't actually know it was Billy coming on my outside."

The Irish Flat season comes to a close back at Naas on November 6.

Toy a nice present for O'Brien

For much of the business end of the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Garnet Stakes it looked like Toy was in trouble, but perhaps she was just playing with her rivals as she kept finding for Wayne Lordan and dug deep to score by half a length from Sunset Shiraz.

Aidan O'Brien, who turned 53 on Sunday and also won the opening fillies' maiden with Dame Kiri, is now tempted to take Toy over to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, for which Paddy Power introduced her at 16-1.

O'Brien said: "We had one eye on America and if she was going there she needed a run.

"Wayne was very happy with her and gave her a great ride. Obviously it wouldn't be her ground but she has a bit of class.

"We were thinking of the Filly & Mare at the Breeders' Cup so we'll see how she comes out of this. She'll be an important mare so may not stay in training next year, but we'll see what the lads want to do. She's a typical Galileo filly in that she doesn't want to get beat."

Toy (Wayne Lordan, right) is super tough in landing the Listed Garnet StakesCredit: Patrick McCann

Doubles for Harrington and Foley

Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley teamed up for a double thanks to Polar Bear and Panic Alarm.

The Irish EBF Auction Series Race Final was worth a tasty €70,000 to the winner, and it was Panic Alarm who flew home under Foley to win by two lengths.

Harrington admitted she was worried early in the home straight, saying: "Two furlongs down I thought he had no chance, but Shane said he hadn't really gone for him. He's still very green and hung in behind, but he did it well in the end."

Four in a row for Earls

Earls completed a remarkable four-timer for Gavin Cromwell in the concluding 6f handicap, sugarcoating a terrific Sunday for the trainer as he also had two winners at Cork.

Cromwell said of Earls: "He's a real little warrior and loves that soft ground."

Results, replays and analysis

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