In-form Limerick jockey facing spell on sidelines after breaking collarbone

IN-FORM Ballingarry jockey Billy Lee is expected to sit out the next four weeks after he broke a collarbone in an unfortunate fall at Limerick Racecourse on Saturday.

Lee was riding Heishybrid for Noel Meade in the Private Suites At Limerick Racecourse Handicap when Woodhsaw Whisper fell, bringing him down.

The setback came hours after the talented horseman had notched up another winner with trainer Paddy Twomey as they landed the opening six-furlong rated race with the three-year-old No Alibi. The 2/1 favourite led inside the final furlong and had half a length to spare over David Marnane’s 9/4 chance Ja’marr at the line.

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Limerick jockey Lee then moved onto the 41-winner mark for the season when taking the near eight-furlong maiden on Adrian Murray’s 5/2 chance Marlborough Place. Another three-year-old, he made much of the running to beat Joseph O'Brien’s 6/4 favourite Angelight by a head.

Just one winner behind Lee in the jockeys’ championship is Shanagolden jockey Chris Hayes who the concluding 11-furlong handicap over the Dermot Weld-trained Camevere, the race in which Lee received his injury. The 9/1 chance came through to lead over a furlong out to win by a length and a quarter from the Joseph O'Brien-trained 6/4 chance Waterford Flow.

Meanwhile, Abbeyfeale jockey Paddy Harnett was among the winners at Dundalk on Saturday where he partnered Donnacha O'Brien’s 9/2 chance Lombardi Trophy to take the 10-furlong maiden. Harnett got the three-year-old home by a neck at the main expense of Ger Lyons’ 8/11 favourite Game Point.

County Kildare trainer Eoghan O’Neill gave Limerick jockey Chris Hayes the first of his two winners at Tramore on Tuesday evening of last week where No Niki No scored an all the way success in the fillies and mares’ handicap over 12 furlongs.

In the colours of owners Melissa O'Neill and Bill Eastwood, the 5/1 chance made all the running to beat the Dermot Kilmartin-trained 14/1 shot La Dame Blanche. The jockey doubled up in the concluding two-mile handicap on the Joe Murray-trained Make Good.

A 7/2 chance for owner Paul Newman, the 10-year-old was soon in front and he stretched clear before the furlong-pole to win by an easy nine and a half lengths from Ger O’Leary’s five-year-old Dumb Love, another at odds of 7/2.

Moyross jockey Wesley Joyce rode his tenth winner of the season when combining with Michael Mulvany to win the second of the 12-furlong handicaps with Ina Mina. In the trainer’s own colours, the 4/1 shot led on the downhill run into the dip and pulled clear to win by an easy 15 lengths from John McConnell’s 6/1 chance Rockview Consort.

Chris Hayes was a winner again when taking the opening 10-furlong optional claiming race on the Dermot Weld-trained Alice Monet at Fairyhouse on Wednesday last. Owned and bred by Moyglare Stud Farm, the 9/4 favourite was far too strong for three rivals and she ran out a 10-length winner from John McConnell’s 11/10 favourite Wonderfulmoment.

Billy Lee and Paddy Twomey had combined to win the opening seven-furlong fillies’ maiden for two-year-olds with 5/2 chance Phenomenal Filly at Leopardstown on Thursday evening. She made all the running and readily saw off the challenge of Jessica Harrington’s 8/1 shot Thenandnow in the straight to win by a length and a quarter with Aidan O'Brien’s 11/8 favourite Amelia Earhart the same distance away in third place.

Chris Hayes’ fine run of form continued and he was next into the winners’ enclosure when taking the seven-furlong handicap for three-year-olds on the Andy Oliver-trained Sounds Like A Plan.

The 13/2 chance was short of room over a furlong from the finish but once in the clear, he picked up well to deny the front-running 5/6 favourite Bonus Time, ridden for Paddy Twomey by Billy Lee, by half a length.

Limerick teenager Laura Hourigan took the second of the nine-furlong handicaps with the Wayne Hassett-ridden Unterberg. Owned by the Novum Racing Club, the 15/2 chance raced clear at the furlong-pole to beat the Gerry Keane-trained 7/2 favourite Thegooseiscooked by three lengths.

Upcoming Fixtures

Downpatrick – Tuesday, July 15 (First race 2.18pm)

Killarney – Tuesday, July 15 (First race 5.07pm)

Killarney – Wednesday, July 16 (First race 5.20pm)

Killarney – Thursday, July 17 (First race 5.01pm)

Leopardstown – Thursday, July 17 (First race 4.45pm)

Killarney – Friday, July 18 (First race 1.55pm)

Down Royal – Friday, July 18 (First race 5.10pm)

Curragh – Saturday, July 19 (First race 1.20pm)

Curragh – Sunday, July 20 (First race 1.20pm)