Brant's Dr Zempf Lands Two Thousand Guineas Trial

Ger Lyons has made a solid start to the new campaign and, less than a week after bagging the feature Madrid Handicap with Markaz Paname , snared the April 2 Ballylinch Stud Red Rocks Two Thousand Guineas Trial with Peter Brant's Dr Zempf .

You would think that taking out major prizes every weekend would be something to celebrate, even for a trainer as established as Lyons, but there was to be no overreaction after the Dark Angel  colt crossed the line in front Saturday at Leopardstown.

Dr Zempf may have won in comprehensive fashion under Colin Keane, but as far as Lyons was concerned, it was a case of 'a lot done but more to do.' 

He explained: "You can only beat what's in front of you. We won't be breaking out champagne or anything, but we're happy. He is still in the pot for the Guineas—if we have a Guineas colt, it's him." 

Out of the Siyouni  mare Souvenir Delondres , Dr Zempf was a $569,731 purchase by White Birch Farm/Demi O'Byrne from breeder Stratford Place Stud's consignment to the 2002 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. 

Lyons added: "He has a run under his belt now and we can go to Newmarket at the end of the month if we need to, but we're a long way off a horse rated 120. There should be plenty of improvement in him, and there needs to be for where he is going."