Ger Lyons sends Siskin to France for Sunday’s Prix du Moulin

The Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Siskin is set to line up in this Sunday’s Group One Prix du Moulin at Paris-Longchamp.

Ioritz Mendizabal, the veteran Spanish-born rider, and former champion jockey in France, will take the ride.

A month ago Siskin's regular jockey, Colin Keane, had to sit out a 14-day isolation period due to coronavirus after returning from Goodwood where the partnership finished third in the Sussex Stakes.

This time Keane has opted to avoid another potentially expensive enforced break which leaves 46-year-old Mendizabal to pick up another potential Group One benefit.

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During the summer, travel restrictions meant he came in for the 'spare' on the French Derby winner Mishriff, trained by John Gosden. He also rode James Fanshawe's Audarya to win the Group One Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville last month.

It will be Siskin’s third start of the season and the popular colt could clash again with Aidan O’Brien’s Circus Maximus, who was just ahead of him in the Sussex when both were behind Mohaather.

"He is in great order, looks a million dollars and as things stand he goes for the Moulin on Sunday. The ground over there looks good at the minute so that's why we're going," explained Siskin's trainer Ger Lyons on Tuesday.

“Realistically from here on in we’re not going to get the ground. It’s not that he’s ground dependant. It’s just that he’s better on top of the ground. I don’t want to be racing him on heavy.

“With the QEII it’s more than likely at that time of the year you’re going to be heavy. So I’m chasing good ground.

“Once we get Sunday out of the way you have the option of dropping back in trip for the Foret or go to the Breeders’ Cup.

“Because of the isolation rules, Ioritz Mendizabal rides,” Lyons added.

Another likely Irish contender in Sunday’s Moulin is Ken Condon’s Romanised, who got the worst of a controversial finish with Circus Maximus in the €270,000 mile highlight in 2019.

Lyons also revealed on Tuesday that his other Classic winner this season, the Irish Oaks heroine Even So, will also travel to France for her next start in the Group One Prix Vermeille at Longchamp on Sunday week.

The Coolmore-owned filly hasn't been seen in action since beating Cayenne Pepper by two lengths in the Curragh Classic in mid-July.