By Tom Frary
Khalid Abdullah's decision to put his faith in Ger Lyons reaped early reward on Saturday as Siskin (First Defence) maintained his unbeaten sequence in The Curragh's G2 GAIN Railway S. Always travelling easily for Colin Keane tracking the front pair, the May 24 Listed Marble Hill S. scorer strode to the front passing the two pole and quickly subdued Monarch of Egypt (American Pharoah) before putting 2 1/2 lengths between him and Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star. “First and foremost it's a huge result to be training for these people in the first place,” Lyons said after welcoming back the heavily-backed 4-6 favourite. “To get a good one so early in our career with them is a bonus. You don't win over here until you win, because of who you are taking on.”
Siskin, who had beaten the subsequent Listed Chesham S. fifth Harpocrates (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) convincingly on debut over this trip at Naas May 11, had dealt with the same stable's eventual G2 Norfolk S. sixth King Neptune (War Front) in the Marble Hill over this course and distance. Kept away from Royal Ascot with this in mind, the homebred categorically justified that patience. “Credit to Juddmonte, because they let me do what I wanted to do with him,” Lyons said. “I didn't want to go to Ascot–I could have been rushed into that, but they let me do what I wanted. I'm just one of those lucky lads, because things are falling together for us. We have the best jockey in the country riding for us and Juddmonte are on the team now. My job is to just use the experience we've had in 20 years looking for these horses. We should know what we're doing at this stage and it's nice to have one.”
His trainer is aiming at the Aug. 9 G1 Phoenix S. over the same course and distance. “The plan was to come and then go to the Phoenix,” he added. “If we got beat today then we had to make a second plan, but at the moment we're still on track. I've been beat in the Coventry and it's a lonely place to be in second or third. I love having winners in Ireland. If we have to travel, I'll travel, but I want to win races in Ireland. It is very much a case of so far, so good. Hopefully we can get this guy in one piece to the Phoenix and hopefully he's still the best around at the time. I keep expecting Aidan to pull one out of the hat, because he normally does and when he does none of us will be surprised. But hopefully I can win that group one.”
The dam Bird Flown (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who won a race over seven furlongs on soft ground at Clairefontaine for Andre Fabre in 2013 and raced at a mile, is a half-sister to the listed scorer and G2 Hardwicke S. runner-up Barsanti (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}). She is also a half-sibling of Rising Tornado (Storm Cat), who was responsible for the multiple grade I-winning champion Close Hatches and the GI Kentucky Oaks third Lockdown also by First Defence. Close Hatches is in turn the dam of Tacitus (Tapit), winner of this year's GII Wood Memorial and GII Tampa Bay Derby who put himself in the elite of America's 3-year-olds by finishing third in the GI Kentucky Derby and runner-up in the GI Belmont S.
The listed-placed second dam Silver Star (GB) (Zafonic) is a full-sister to the G1 Dewhurst S.-winning champion Xaar (GB) from the family of the GI United Nations H. hero Senure (Nureyev), the group 1-winning sire Cityscape (GB) (Selkirk) and Bated Breath (GB) (Dansili {GB}) who is making a name for himself at Banstead Manor Stud. Bird Flown's yearling filly is by Flintshire (GB), while she also has a filly foal by Noble Mission (GB).
1–SISKIN, 129, c, 2, by First Defence
1st Dam: Bird Flown (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: Silver Star (GB), by Zafonic
3rd Dam: Monroe, by Sir Ivor
1ST GROUP WIN. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Ger Lyons; J-Colin Keane. €76,700. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, €122,200.
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