Power steps it up a notch as Keane regains the championship initiative

Saturday: Leopardstown

A relatively quiet spell for Ger Lyons in the last month or so has not aided Colin Keane's quest for another jockeys' championship, but the victory of Power Under Me in the Listed Knockaire Stakes yesterday was a timely one as it brought him level with Billy Lee on 86 winners.

The son of Mehmas was stepping up to the 7f trip for the first time after being campaigned as a sprinter, and it proved no problem as he quickened off a strong pace in the last furlong and drew away inside the last to beat the somewhat unlucky Emporio by a length and a quarter.

It certainly opens up more options for next season, with Lyons's brother and assistant Shane Lyons commenting: "He had been running and winning over shorter trips this season. He is very ground dependent. He had just been disappointing in some of his runs and we decided to have one more throw of the dice and step him up in trip.

"He has the ability to be a good horse and he was impressive there as they went hard. It opens up for next season now, especially at the start and end of the season on soft or slow ground, and we can nearly go any trip now. It's great to get one for Colin."

Keane completed a double to end the day one in front of Lee when he won the concluding 1m2f handicap on King Arthurs Sword for the in-form Michael O'Callaghan stable. The jockey had to weave a passage through but got there in time to beat the front-running Fanore by half a length.

Speirling defies the market

It was a decent afternoon for Jim Bolger's juveniles. After Gan Teorainn finished a creditable fourth in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud earlier, Speirling Beag defied odds of 25-1 in the Group 3 Eyrefield Stakes under Rory Cleary to give the trainer his sixth win in the last nine runnings of the race.

In a rough event, the winner had to dig deep to see off the challenge of the Billy Lee-ridden Hiawatha by a short-head and she was certainly helped by her nearest pursuer being nearly knocked over by his stablemate Gulf Of Mexico turning into the straight.

Cleary, who had his finest moment in the saddle for Bolger when winning last year's Irish 2,000 Guineas on Mac Swiney, said: "She was very game. With the scrimmaging on my inside I probably got there too early, but when Billy came to me she stuck her head out and ran to the line. She's very honest and I would say is versatile when it comes to the ground."

The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday