Colin Keane secures second jockeys' title after epic tussle with Shane Foley

Colin Keane has been confirmed as the 2020 Irish champion Flat jockey, with his incredible comeback complete after it was determined his closest challenger Shane Foley could no longer catch the 2017 title winner.

The Irish Flat campaign concludes on Saturday at Naas but both riders were booked for their final rides of the season in Ireland at the Curragh on Monday, with the pair set to fly to Keeneland on Tuesday for the Breeders' Cup.

A winner in the concluding contest at Naas on Sunday meant Keane was finally out of Foley's reach, bagging his 99th winner of the campaign, while his friend and rival brought up his 92nd success earlier on the card.

Keane completed his third career century on his final ride of the season aboard Pretty Boy Floyd on Monday.

"It's been a remarkable year," said the now two-time champion. "Shane and I are finished for the Irish season this evening before heading off to the Breeders' Cup.

"We're good friends and get on well. I'm sure he'll be champion jockey in the future, he'd be very deserving of it."

Colin Keane on Shane Foley: 'I'm sure he'll be champion jockey in the future, he'd be very deserving of it'Credit: Patrick McCann

Foley, who lost nothing in defeat during his tremendous effort to win his first title and recorded a career-best tally, added: "Having led the championship for plenty of the season it's obviously disappointing not to win it, but we've had a fantastic year and if you told me at the start that we'd achieve what we have, I'd have taken it all with both hands.

"Colin is a class rider and has won the championship in the past. There's no shame whatsoever in losing to a rider like that."

In the most unorthodox of Flat seasons, which began at Naas on March 23 before soon being halted due to Covid-19 and resuming on June 8, the former champion looked to have a mountain to climb after a blistering start for Foley, who registered 24 winners in June.

In a further blow for Keane, his title hopes looked to be on fumes when forced to forfeit 14 days of action on home soil due to quarantine restrictions when opting to ride Classic hero Siskin in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood a month later.

"We parked the championship at the time I went to Goodwood," said Keane.

Siskin: provided Colin Keane and Ger Lyons with a first Classic win in the 2020 Tattersalls Irish 2,000 GuineasCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"The boss [Ger Lyons] said then that we'd forget about the championship, we had to give up the two weeks to ride Siskin because we might not have a horse like him for a long time."

Meanwhile Foley, backed by Jessica Harrington, couldn't stop riding winners and notched another 18 victories during both July and August, leaving him 16 clear of Keane by the beginning of September.

In fact, Foley had led by 20 after riding Cosmic Vega to victory at Leopardstown on August 20, with Keane firing back with a double that afternoon before registering his first ever four-timer at Bellewstown a week later.

"I think the four-timer at Bellewstown in August really kickstarted things for us," said Keane's agent Ruaidhri Tierney. "We've got into a roll with Colin in the past where he's banging in winners left, right and centre so I knew if he got some momentum it was possible."

Across a blistering 15-day period in September, the 26-year-old champion fired in doubles at Down Royal, Limerick, Leopardstown, the Curragh, Tipperary and Cork, as well as registering trebles at Navan and Gowran – a total haul of 21 winners.

Colin Keane and Ger Lyons: top team combined to win two Classics in 2020Credit: Caroline Norris

Foley, riding better than ever this season, managed to muster up 11 winners during September but by that stage the tide was turning and Keane, who would later pick up a trio of winners for Aidan O'Brien, began to take control.

Keane fired in 27 more winners in October, while Foley still battled back gamely with a very healthy tally of 19 for the month.

"September was the month that really put us back into the hunt," reflected Keane. "Once we got momentum going it really rolled from there and thankfully we kept it up."

Foley added: "We both gave it everything but we're two laid-back lads as well and let our riding do the talking. We went hammer and tongs at it, but Colin is a very good friend of mine and everyone else in the weighing room would have loved to be in the position we were in."

Both riders will aim to end their season on a high, with Keane ready to ride Siskin in the three-year-old's potential swansong in the Breeders' Cup Mile, while Foley has a strong book of Keeneland rides aboard leading Harrington-trained performers Cadillac, Cayenne Pepper and Oodnadatta.

Shane Foley: rode more winners than ever this seasonCredit: Patrick McCann

Foley said: "Lucky Vega's win in the Phoenix Stakes was a big highlight for me this season, but I hope if you call me after this weekend I'll be able to say the highlight was the Breeders' Cup.

"I think all three go there with live chances and if we could land on one after the year we've had it'd be absolutely amazing."

Keane added: "Siskin arrived out there on Saturday and seems to have travelled well. It's my first trip out to Keeneland and I'm really looking forward to it."

Four of the best: Keane's finest rides of the 2020 season

1 Siskin, Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh, June

Arguably the ride of the season in Ireland for 2020, Keane faced adversity on all sides but kept his composure to register his first Classic success in a hugely pressurised scenario.

2 Safe Voyage, Clipper Logistics Boomerang Stakes at Leopardstown, September

The in-demand rider bagged a quarter of all races on Longines Irish Champions Weekend and this sublime effort on a likeable performer showed just how strong Keane can be in a finish.

3 Ecliptical, Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Maiden at Bellewstown, August

The former champion apprentice showed he had beautiful timing when mowing down his rivals in the closing stages, switching his mount off before delivering a perfectly timed challenge to win from stall 13 of 14.

4 Athlumney Hall, Leopardstown Handicap at Leopardstown, June

The dual Classic-winning rider is a master at negating wide draws and this was another spectacular example, pulling out all the stops from stall 20 to score under a strong drive.

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