Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)
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By David Jennings, Deputy Editor-in-Chief for Ireland
History was made at the Curragh on Sunday as Colin Keane broke Joseph O’Brien’s all-time record for winners in one season with three weeks to spare, and the Irish champion jockey admitted he Maybe never would have another year like this.
No sooner had Keane broken O’Brien’s record and increased to 127 for the Power Under Me campaign in the Listed Testimonial Stakes than he celebrated winner number 128 thanks to Pretty Boy Floyd’s overall victory in the handicap 5f.
Keane, who turned 27 last month, tied O’Brien’s record on Torn at Dundalk on Friday night, and admitted the scale of the feat had yet to penetrate.
Watch Colin Keane ride his 127th season winner
After being kicked back to the weighing room by the Curragh crowd after winning over Power Under Me, Keane said: “He hasn’t sunk and probably won’t be until we start at zero next year. and look all the way back We try to beat last season’s tally every year, but we might not have a year like this for a while, so we’ll enjoy it as long as it is. the.
“When we got to 100 earlier in the year, the next logical thing was to try and hit 126. The horses have been in great shape all year, which is why it happened. J rode for great people and have a great agent so I couldn’t have done it without them. ”
Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)
“title =” Colin Keane celebrates winning Power Under Me “class =” js-imageLoader “data-at-xn =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2021/10/10/ 99248-medium.jpeg “data-br-n =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2021/10/10/99248-medium.jpeg “data-br-m =” https: //www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2021/10/10/99248-large.jpeg “data-br-w =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2021 /10/10/99248-large.jpeg “data-br-xw =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2021/10/10/99248-large.jpeg “onclick =” back false; “>
He added: “We are approaching it slowly but surely. I haven’t really felt any pressure to break it this week. When we got to less than three weeks and had three more weeks left, I would have been happy to drive only one winner per week. I would have been happy to beat him by a point on the last day. “
Keane didn’t beat him by one on the final day, he already beat him by two, and the season doesn’t end until October 31.
“The only thing that comes close to Keane’s ability is his attitude” (Members Club)
When asked about his record-breaking campaign highlight, Keane replied: “The whole season in general has been a highlight, but I would say Champions Weekend at Leopardstown is the one that stands out. was the boss’s first day. [Ger Lyons] was back racing and he had a quad.
“He wanted to have as many runners as possible this weekend. None of them were favorites, but they were all going with a good chance if things went well, which they did.”
O’Brien’s record of 126 winners had been held since 2013, when he overtook legendary Mick Kinane, whose previous record of 115 campaign winners was set in 1995.
Keane has three weeks to deposit more wins into his account, and Ger Lyons, who has provided him with 71 of his 128 winners so far, has praised his attitude.
Lyons said, “Colin is a credit to himself, his family and the entire racing industry. He is a great example of what a champion jockey should be. He stands alone and lets his riding do the talking.
Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)
“title =” Ger Lyons: “I think this is the perfect person to step into Pat’s shoes” “class =” js-imageLoader “data-at-xn =” https: //www.rp-assets .com / images / news /2021/09/11/97973-medium.jpeg “data-br-n =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2021/09/11/97973- medium.jpeg “data- br-m =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2021/09/11/97973-large.jpeg “data-br-w =” https: // www.rp-assets. com / images / news / 2021/09/11/97973-large.jpeg “data-br-xw =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2021/09/11/97973-large .jpeg “onclick =” return false; “>
“You see Billy Lee come over to shake his hand after the race and that tells you everything you need to know about the immense respect he has in the weigh-in room. He’s just a really good guy.
“I’m not sure exactly what the right way to put it is, but I think he’s the perfect fit to step into Pat’s. [Smullen] shoes. I mean this in the nicest way possible and I think Pat himself would even agree with me. It couldn’t happen to a finer person – calm, unpretentious, and a really good guy.
“The industry is full of people trying to make x, y and z heroes, but Colin did it his way, the old fashioned way and let his constituency do the talking.
“Every winner that he drives from now until the end of the season will be a record and, you know what, next season he’s going to want to improve on the total he finishes this season with, so he’s going to keep us on. our guards. “
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