Limerick racing round-up ahead of big Punchestown Festival

LIMERICK jockey Billy Lee joined Colin Keane on the ten-winner mark for the fledgling season when riding winners for trainer Willie McCreery and Henry de Bromhead at Gowran Park on Tuesday last.

The Ballingarry jockey won the opening seven-furlong median auction maiden on the McCreery-trained Buttermere Ridge. The 15/2 chance drifted to his left inside the final furlong and a half but was well on top at the line in beating Natalia Lupini’s Solomon Coop by two and a quarter lengths.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Annexation gave Lee his second winner of the evening when taking the second of the nine-furlong handicaps on the card in the colours of the South Ros Racing Syndicate. The 13/2 chance came from a little off the pace to beat the Michael Mulvany-trained 100/30 favourite Duke Of Leggagh, ridden by Wesley Joyce, by a length and a half.

The Sean Maguire-owned Ma Hoey was a winner for Athea trainer Eoin McCarthy and jockey Gary Noonan at Bellewstown on Wednesday evening. Taking advantage of a blunder at the final hurdle by the Sean Aherne-trained Get It Right at the final hurdle, the 40/1 chance raced to a two-length success over the staying-on Ian Donoghue-trained 2/1 favourite O’Faolains Glory.

Next into the winners’ enclosure was the father and son team of Eric and Conor McNamara who won the three-mile handicap hurdle with Killinure Lass. Owned by the Oyster Boys Partnership, the 25/1 shot came from a little off the pace to lead after the final hurdle and at the line she had a length and three-parts to spare over the Padraig Roche-trained 9/2 chance Milk Market.

At Gowran Park on Wednesday evening, Billy Lee landed the seven-furlong maiden for three-year-olds on the Paddy Twomey-trained Sea The Polaris. Rated 83 after three runs, he made all the running and was pushed clear inside the final furlong to win by an easy three and a half lengths from 13/8 chance Thor’s Hammer which was ridden for Johnny Murtagh by Ben Coen.

Shanagolden jockey Chris Hayes and Dermot Weld shared their first winner of the weekend as the Moyglare Stud Farm-owned Spoken Truth scored a cosy success of his own in the 10-furlong maiden.

The Gallinule Stakes might be next for the victorious 13/8 favourite which scored by two and a quarter lengths from the Aidan O'Brien-trained 100/30 chance Psalm.

Moyross jockey Wesley Joyce took the concluding handicap over the same distance on the Andrew Kinirons-trained Nostringsattached. The Jim Browne-owned 3/1 favourite battled well inside the final furlong to beat Johnny Murtagh’s 100/30 chance Take Heart by half a length.

 The 9/1 chance Ezeliya gave Chris Hayes and Dermot Weld their second success in the space of 24 hours when winning the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes at Navan on Saturday. On her first start since September of last year, she delivered her challenge inside the final furlong and readily got the better of the Paddy Twomey-trained even money favourite Purple Lily and Billy Lee by half a length. Aidan O'Brien’s Everlasting and Ryan Moore were the same distance away in third place.

Other Racing News

Set to be crowned Irish champion jumps trainer for the 18th time when the season closes at Punchestown on Saturday, Willie Mullins became the first Irish-based trainer to win the British title in 70 years at Sandown on Saturday.

The late Vincent O'Brien won back-to-back British title’s in the 1952/53 and 1953/54 seasons, a feat Mullins is now keen to replicate. Wins for I Am Maximus in the Aintree Grand National and for Macdermott in the Scottish Grand National put Mullins in pole position to make further racing history and his championship success, based on prizemoney as it is in Ireland, was secured as El Fabiolo finished second to the JP McManus-owned Jonbon in the Grade 1 Celebration Chase on the final day of the British season.

Mullins didn’t leave the meeting empty handed and he landed his latest big handicap chase win with the Danny Mullins-ridden Minella Cocooner in the valuable bet365 Gold Cup while Impaire Et Passe, ridden by Paul Townend, took the Grade 2 Select Hurdle to cap a terrific season.

Upcoming Fixtures

Punchestown – Tuesday, April 30 (First Race 2.30pm)

Punchestown – Wednesday, May 1 (First Race 2.30pm)

Punchestown – Thursday, May 2 (First Race 3.40pm)

Punchestown – Friday, May 3 (First Race 3.40pm)

Punchestown – Saturday, May 4 (First Race 2.30pm)

Sligo – Sunday, May 5 (First Race 1.40pm)