Keane delighted to see Babouche bounce back to form

Colin Keane was thrilled to see Babouche return to something like her best at Naas on Sunday.

The Ger Lyons-trained filly had beaten the colts in the Phoenix Stakes as a two-year-old but did not repeat that form in the Cheveley Park at Newmarket or on her return to action this season at Cork.

With the benefit of that run under her belt, she needed to take a big step forward up against Aidan O’Brien’s Whistlejacket but she did so, oozing class to win by two and three-quarter lengths.

“It was great to see her back. She went to Cork and we knew she’d need it,” said Keane.

“She ran OK, she ran well without getting carried away but she did need to improve taking on Aidan’s colt.

“Her last couple of bits of work between Cork and Naas were nice but she felt back to her old self.

“I suppose the conversation, having won a Group One last year – which was a great thing to have done – we weren’t sure if she was going to train on. If she wasn’t up to doing something like she did at Naas, there maybe would have been a conversation to have, so to see her do that was great.”

Babouche is now 5-1 second-favourite for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot behind Shadow Of Light.