Gowran double for Keane and Lyons

The televised feature at Gowran Park this evening saw Colin Keane and Lemista land the Listed Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes and a tilt at the Irish Oaks is now on the radar.

Five winners this week so far for Ger Lyons with a Gowran Park double this evening added to one at Roscommon (Monday) and two at Fairyhouse yesterday.

Lyons and Keane also won the opener at Gowran with Roca Roma, which didn't run in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh last Saturday due to ground conditions.

Bohermeen man Johnny Murtagh was also in double form at Gowran this evening and added one at Tipperary also today to make it seven winners since Monday from 15 runners.

Racing on RTE (5pm - 6pm) continues tomorrow at Naas and at Leopardstown on Sunday.

ROYAL ASCOT

There will also be a lot of attention on Royal Aacot tomorrow where the Dermot Hogan-trained Skeptical, purchased for £2,800 at the Goffs UK sales last August (from Godolphin) will be bidding to win the £250,000 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Group 1) over six furlongs.

Easy to pick out with a Meath green and gold cap to accompany the orange colours of owner James McAuley - Frankie Dettori on board.

Connections had a confidence boost at Gowran this evening when Dalvey won a maiden to get the weekend off to a good start.

TRAINER DENIS HOGAN ON SKEPTICAL

To be going to Ascot tomorrow with a favourite for a Group 1 is massive for a yard like ours.

I’ve been training a while now but it’s so hard to come across horses like this.

We go through a lot of numbers especially when we don’t spend a lot of money and it’s just huge excitement to have a horse like this.

To be honest I had to go as far as six and a half for Make A Challenge, the lads only had to go to two eight for Sceptical so I think they got the value this time.

And again I think Dalvey was only three grand.

We got lucky – we’ve been very lucky with especially Godolphin – we find them very good to deal with, that they’re very up front and they know us.

We just work around if we like the horse and then we find out what issues he had and if we think there’s something we can work with, then we’re happy to have them at small money.

Denis Hogan was speaking on Paddy Power Media’s new podcast, From The Horse’s Mouth

To listen in full [podfollow.com/horsesmouth] podfollow.com/horsesmouth