Three for Keane and Lyons at Naas

Colin Keane's bid for the 2017 flat jockeys' title gained more momentum when the Trim man recorded a treble today at Naas for his boss Ger Lyons.

Keane now leads the title-race by seven (90-83) from the defending champion Pat Smullen and the young jockey now looks well-placed to hit the 100- winner mark for the season by the end of this month. 

Keane has had eight winners this week since he recorded a midweek double at Gowran Park, he added one more at Dundalk on Friday night, two at Cork yesterday and the three at Naas today.

Paddy Power now has Keane at 1/20 to claim his first title while they pushed Smullen out to 8/1 to retain his crown after the action at Naas today. 

Lyons and Keane were on the mark with Moonlight Bay (9/2) and Elegant Pose (9/4) today and the treble was completed when Mustajeer (11/4) won the  mile and a quarter handicap.

Keane only partnered his 100th career winner three years ago (July 2014) when he was on board Togoville to win a handicap at Roscommon for Meath trainer Pat Martin,

He claimed the Irish Flat Apprentice Jockey title in 2014 and was presented with his award on the final day of the season at Leopardstown when he shared the podium with Pat Smullen - now he could be set to take the crown at the end of this month.

Colin is the son of trainer Gerry Keane whose father Vincent had a training base outside Trim.

Colin made steady progress as a rider throughout 2011 and 2012, but it was when he joined Ger Lyons that his career really began to take off.

He came close to matching the record number of wins by an apprentice in a season - Joseph O’Brien with 57 wins in 2011 which beat Raymond Carroll’s 52 wins set in 1976 - whe  he claimed the title in 2014.

Offaly man Pat Smullen claimed the jockeys' title in 2014 for the seventh time, after riding over 100 winners in a season for the first time,

Smullen won the title again in 2015 and last year. Keane was the runner-up last year on 77 winners, his best tally at that time, but one he has surpassed now.

While the winning post is in sight, it's unlikely that Keane will be getting carried away with the prospects of emulating other Meath men who were champions - Declan McDonogh in 2006 with 88 winners and Johnny Murtagh who won his last of his fives titles in 2009 when he edged out Pat Smullen by five (93 - 88).