Buffer Zone to be picture perfect for Lyons
Irish trainer has strong chance in Ayr Gold Cup Siskin in peak form for Middle Park Stakes
Each season trainer Ger Lyons puts a photograph of every winner he has on the office wall at his Glenburnie Stables in County Meath. The 55 photos include one of Siskin winning the Group One Phoenix Stakes and Mustajeer winning the first £1 million Ebor.
Every January he takes them all down and stares at a blank wall until the winners start rolling in. Talk about putting pressure on yourself. “That is what I do,” he explained yesterday. “It drives me and keeps me focused. You can’t get lackadaisical in this game.”
Today, the former jump jockey hopes he will have to put another photograph on the wall after Buffer Zone, the 5-1 favourite, has contested the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup. Like Mustajeer, he was sourced at the horses-in-training sales by part-owner David Spratt.
“David does very well at it,” explained Lyons. “He came to me a few years ago and said, ‘we need to move you up the trainers’ board. You are not winning premier handicaps.’ So we set a plan in motion and now we have won a lot of them.
“He part-owns Buffer Zone with Sean Jones, whose blue and white colours he runs in. Sean’s been with me since the day I started and we have had hundreds of winners for him. It is not my style to run one back so quick [six days on this occasion]) but its Buffer Zone’s last run of the season so we have all to gain and nothing to lose. Next year I’m hoping he will be a Group horse.”
Mustajeer is in quarantine in Newmarket and will join Australian trainer Kris Lees for the Melbourne Cup. “I am very happy with the situation,” said Lyons. “I want to concentrate on Ireland and Britain. I have no interest in travelling.”
Next week Lyons will also be in Newmarket with the juvenile Siskin who is, remarkably given that he is an unbeaten Group One winner, third favourite for the Middle Park Stakes behind Earthlight and Mums Tipple.
“He is in good form,” he says. “Mums Tipple got a decent form boost yesterday when the fourth behind him in the sales race, Piece of Paradise, won a Listed race at Ayr, but I am happy with my horse.
“I think people have got very high on Earthlight and Mums Tipple, but whatever beats Siskin, wins the race.
“We have won a Group One and an Ebor this year so it is a happy house. I would like to finish strong and the bonus ball would be if Colin [Keane – currently neck and neck with Donnacha O’brien] was champion jockey, too.”