BALTIMORE-BASED driver Eoin Murphy warmed up for his tilt at the European Apprentice Drivers Championship in Dundalk this weekend with a driving double at Lyre on Saturday afternoon.

BY TIM KELLEHER

Kirio Scott was the market leader in the high grade trot but was led out the gate by Hotesse Du Chassin. Nothing changed up front for the opening mile. With two furlongs to trot, Kirio Scott with Eoin Murphy in the bike made his move to lead in the final 100 yards and record a length-and-a-half win from Gentleman Coglais, who out-stayed Hotesse Du Chassin by a length.

The winner is owned by Ger Cooke from Leap, trained by Tadhg Murphy, and was one of the best supported winners in the betting ring for the day, moving from evens to 4/7.

‘We changed tactics a bit this week. I told Eoin to sit in and wait until late to make his challenge and it worked a treat. We head to Dundalk with him next and I think he will handle the surface up there,’ Cooke said.

Earlier in the afternoon, Murphy kicked off his double with Looks Like Mom, who won by ten lengths in the Grade G & G1 Trot. The winner is owned by Micheal Duggan from Rosscarbery, one of the driving forces behind the development of the state-funded track in Lyre.

There was a real international flavour to the victory of Instinct De Jomax in the Grade F E & D Trot. Lady Mil led with two furlongs to trot but Mike O’Mahony produced Instinct De Jomax on the outside to lead home Comete Des Landes with both runners trained in Baltimore by Tadhg Murphy. The winner is owned by the VIP Syndicate, an American-based group that races horses at all the major tracks in the USA. The €1,472 first prize from last weekend will push the syndicate earnings nearer the $4 million mark.

Jono Cowden is a driver in contention for the Irish Field National Drivers Championship and the long journey down from Glengormley, Belfast, produced a winner from his two drives, with Kicking In The Sand racing clear of his rivals to win.

Two more winners went North of the Jack Lynch tunnel. Lily Lou opened her winning account in the Grade G & G1 Pace – Brobert Murnane from East Limerick owns and trains the four-year-old. Also, Bettonme is another youngster on an upward curve and made it three wins on the bounce in the Grade E-B Handicap. Stephen Gallagher from Newport in Tipperary owns, trains and drives the winner.

Racing concluded with an Apprentice Trot. Homa was sent to post as favourite but it was Irish Good Dream who attracted the most support. Drawn on the gate, Irish Good Dream was well clear after the opening lap and was still five lengths clear turning for home. Disaster struck when he went off stride, allowing Kerian Scott and Kyo Ferfay to battle it out, with Kerian Scott winning by a short head for Dan O’Mahony who drove the winner for Dunmanway-based owner Jeremiah O’Mahony, his father.

As mentioned earlier, racing moves to Dundalk this weekend with a ten-race programme at the Louth venue.