Another successful week for Limerick jockey Billy Lee

THE Enda Bolger-trained Stealthy Tom added to last month’s success at Killarney when winning the Tote Connacht National Handicap Chase at Roscommon.

With Mark McDonagh riding in the JP McManus colours, the 100/30 chance was clearly travelling well when he took up the running to lead after the second-last fence and he was eased in the final few strides to beat the Mouse Morris-trained Foxy Jacks by a length and a quarter on Monday of last week.

McDonagh went on to complete a double when partnering the Mark Fahey-trained Rebel Rose to success in the two and a half-mile handicap hurdle. On her first start since September of last year, the well-supported 4/1 shot led over the fourth-last hurdle and made the best of her way home to score by two lengths from the Ross O'Sullivan-trained Volantis.

Charles Byrnes supplied the longest-priced winner at Limerick last Wednesday where 3/1 favourite Miss Abby Jools landed the concluding eight-furlong handicap. The Steven Heaphy-owned four-year-old became the sixth winning favourite at the meeting, from seven races, when scoring a two and a quarter-length win over the Gavin Cromwell-trained Breezy Zoff to give County Meath apprentice Adam Caffrey a double on the night. Caffrey had taken the opening 11-furlong claiming race on the Ado McGuinness-trained 9/4 favourite Magnetic North.

Paddy Twomey set jockey Billy Lee up for a double as his Bella Blue Eyes put up a determined display to win the opening seven-furlong fillies’ maiden at Leopardstown on Thursday. Lee made all the running on the Edward Walsh-owned 11/4 chance and the pair comfortably held the late run of Jessica Harrington’s 11/8 favourite Eternal Silence, ridden by Chris Hayes, to win by half a length. Lee landed his second success on the Willie McCreery-trained Ocean Jewel which clearly benefitted the step up in distance in the Group 3 TRI Equestrian Ballycorus Stakes over seven furlongs. The 16/1 chance got home by a length and a quarter from Ado McGuinness’ Real Appeal, an improvement on her previous start when third in the six-furlong Goffs Lacken Stakes at Naas.

Lee registered two more winners at Cork on Friday evening where he shared a bigger success with Paddy Twomey as the five-year-old Rosscarbery landed the Group 3 Darley Munster Oaks in convincing fashion. She pipped Yaxeni by a neck to win the race last year and this time she recorded a more comfortable success in beating the Dermot Weld-trained three-year-old Azazat by half a length at odds of 2/1 favourite. Lee combined with County Meath trainer Pat Martin to win the opening division of the seven-furlong handicap with the Zoom Buddies Syndicate-owned Chica Power. The 14/1 chance got up in the closing stages to beat the Kevin Coleman-trained Swiss Army Officer by half a length.  

Upcoming Fixtures

Wexford – Wednesday, June 21 (First Race 5.20pm)

Leopardstown – Thursday, June 22 (First Race 5.10pm)

Down Royal – Friday, June 23 (First Race 4.50pm)

Limerick – Friday, June 23 (First Race 5.08pm)

Limerick – Saturday, June 24 (First Race 5.23pm)

Down Royal – Saturday, June 24 (First Race 2pm)