My Mate Alfie continued his successful run at the Curragh by winning the SBK Renaissance Stakes on Sunday.
Trained by Ger Lyons, the son of Dark Angel had already claimed victories in the Listed Dash and the competitive Bold Lad Sprint Handicap at the Kildare venue this season. He was sent off at 7-2 to add to his wins in this Group Three race.
In a field that included Karl Burke’s Spycatcher and Adrian McGuinness’ Go Athletico, who set the pace alongside track veteran Big Gossey, My Mate Alfie was well-positioned to strike.
Colin Keane urged his mount to make a move inside the final furlong, and the horse responded brilliantly, powering past the resilient Big Gossey, who finished in a strong second place.
Sheila Lavery’s Torivega took third, while the 3-1 favourite Super Sox came in fourth, and Spycatcher faded to fifth.
"He’s been straightforward to train, and I’m delighted with him. He’s just kept improving all season," said Lyons. "We focused on teaching him to sprint this year, and it’s clearly paid off. He’s earned this Group Three victory."
Lyons noted that earlier in the year, My Mate Alfie struggled to keep up with Givemethebeatboys, but now, if they were to face off, he would need to give a weight allowance of six or seven pounds.
"It’s a testament to the horse. I promised the owner that if they let me train him my way this year, we’d have more adventures next year, so I’ll need to devise a plan for that!"
He added, "He makes my job easy. You’d expect sprinters to be high-strung, but he’s so laid-back, and I think that’s key to his success. He’s handled every type of ground."
This victory offered a much-needed boost for Lyons after his star filly Babouche’s defeat in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket the previous day.
"It was disappointing, plain and simple. It just didn’t happen," Lyons reflected. "We knew she wouldn’t handle the ground, but she’s still a good filly, and I have a great group of three-year-olds to look forward to next year. But I won’t lie; I’m still processing the loss."