Lyons issues Babouche warning ahead of Cork return

Trainer Ger Lyons admits he has been “struggling” to get Babouche to peak fitness ahead of her seasonal reappearance at Cork on Tuesday.

The Kodiac filly was impressive in winning her first three juvenile starts, completing her hat-trick with a Group One win against the colts in the Phoenix Stakes.

She rounded off 2024 with a fourth-placed finish behind Lake Victoria in the Cheveley Park at Newmarket and will be a hot favourite to get back on the winning trail on her return to action in the Goffs Irish EBF Polonia Stakes, but Lyons has a warning for her potential supporters.

“I’m just struggling to get her fit. If you see her tomorrow (Tuesday), she’s carrying a lot of condition,” he said.

“I changed tack as I was going straight to Naas (for the Lacken Stakes) working back from the Commonwealth Cup, but I’m just not getting her fit.

“I would be surprised if she got beat, being a Group One winner, but from what I’m seeing she could very well get beat.”

Babouche heads a field of 14 fillies declared for the five-and-a-half-furlong Listed contest, with her stablemate Revoke, Aidan O’Brien’s Truly Enchanting, Grande Marques from Fozzy Stack’s yard and British raiders Maw Law and First Instinct among her rivals.