Ballingarry jockey Billy Lee claims third Group 1 success with Pretty Polly win

JOCKEYS' championship leader Billy Lee opened up a rather short-lived five-winner advantage over Colin Keane when recording a double at Ballinrobe on Monday evening.

It was quite a week for him, the winners continued to flow and he recorded a terrific Group 1 success, the third of his career, at the Curragh on Sunday.

But at the western venue, the Ballingarry jockey partnered the Paddy Twomey-trained Kirati Beach to land the nine-furlong maiden. The 85/40 chance made much of the running and battled well to hold the Joseph O'Brien-trained 2/1 favourite Explorers Way by a neck.

Lee beat Keane to the line as he partnered the Hilary McLoughlin-trained Ms Eagleton to a one and a half-length success in the nine-furlong maiden. The 6/4 favourite led inside the final furlong to head the front-running True Artist, trainer by Ger O’Leary, putting Lee on the 41 winner-mark for the season.

Mark Enright teamed up with trainer Denise Foster to take the concluding 12-furlong handicap with Pike County. In the colours of owner JP McManus, the 16/1 chance got the better of the Charlie Moore-trained Beer With The Boys by a length and a half.

Lee maintained that advantage over Colin Keane as both men rode a winner at Sligo the following evening. His success came on the Gillian Scott-trained Inventor in the six-furlong handicap, the 9/5 favourite making all the running to beat the Charlie Moore-trained 9/4 chance Celtic Manor by a length in the colours of owner Catriona MacNabb. Keane partnered the Willie Mullins-trained Your Eyes Only to win the concluding maiden. 

The Ballingarry star saw his championship lead whittled away as Colin Keane landed a four-timer at the Curragh on Friday evening and added Derby success the following afternoon, but he kept his nose in front with two Saturday winners of his own.

Lee partnered the first Kildare-trained winner on Derby weekend in the opening race on Saturday as he registered a narrow success on the Ken Condon-trained Teresa Mendoza in the listed Dash Stakes over six-furlongs. The well-supported 4/1 chance, in the colours of Ecurie Ama Zingteam, came from the back of the field to pip the Johnny Levins-trained Prisoner’s Dilemma by half a length. #

Bay Of Bengal scored by a neck when taking the 10-furlong handicap for Lee and another local trainer, Willie McCreery. The 11/4 favourite, owned and bred by Ballylinch Stud, was another to arrive late on the scene and she got up to beat Brian Duffy’s Magic Chegaga with the Jessica Harrington-trained Lealaps three-parts of a length away in third place.

Lee gave Paddy Twomey a much-deserved Group 1 success as La Petite Coco made a winning return in the Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday. On her first start in 287 days, the Team Valor-owned four-year-old put up a fine display to beat British raider My Astra by half a length, with Rosscarberry taking third spot for the Cashel trainer only to be disqualified when Wayne Lordan weighted in 5lbs light, a matter that has been referred to the IHRB.

Lee notched up yet another double, to leave him with a 46-42 lead over Colin Keane, as he won the eight-furlong median auction maiden on the Willie McCreery-trained Self Belief. Another weekend winner for owner/breeders Ballylinch Stud, the 12/1 chance came from well off the pace to score by a length and three-parts from the Jessica Harrington-trained 2/1 favourite Paris Peacock.

Paul Nolan sent out HMS Seahorse to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF “Ragusa” Handicap in terrific fashion. Owned in partnership by Sonja Buckley and Anne Coffey, the Chris Hayes-ridden 13/2 chance raced clear early in the straight to beat the Ger Lyons-trained Phoenix Cowboy by an easy six and a half-lengths.

Upcoming Fixtures:

Roscommon – Tuesday, June 28 (First Race 5.10pm)

Tipperary – Wednesday, June 29 (First Race 5.10pm)

Tipperary – Thursday, June 30 (First Race 5pm)

Bellewstown – Thursday, June 30 (First Race 5.10pm)

Bellewstown – Friday, July 1 (First Race 5.28pm)

Wexford – Friday, July 1 (First Race 5.15pm0

Bellewstown – Saturday, July 2 (First Race 5.05pm)

Naas – Saturday, July 2 (First Race 2pm)

Tramore – Sunday, July 3 (First Race 2pm)