Billy Lee star of show with terrific treble at Down Royal
Shamrock Breeze & Billy Lee win the Tote Maiden for Shamrock Thoroughbreds at Down Royal. Picture:Â Â Healy Racing
Billy Lee proved the star of Down Royal with a spectacular treble, two of his winners, Shamrock Breeze and She’s Quality, provided by Jack Davison who was in Royal Ascot to saddle Scorchio.
In the frame at listed level in Cork last week, She’s Quality outclassed her seven rivals when defying top-weight in the five-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap.
Having tracked the leaders, Lee eased the 7/4 favourite into the lead before the furlong-pole and won comfortably by two and three-quarter lengths from Greek Flower.
“She was very professional,” said Lee, “She jumped, followed the leaders, lobbing along and picked up well when I switched her out. She was in a different class to them and loves that fast ground.”
The Davison/Lee double had been initiated when Shamrock Breeze, placed in two starts for Ado McGuinness before being transferred to Davison’s as part of a Shamrock Thoroughbreds consignment, made all to justify 6/5 favouritism in the opening two-year-old maiden.
The Ardad filly bolted-up by more than three lengths, Lee commenting: “She was very good into her stride and loved the ground. Both Jack and Stephen (Thorne) were confident and told me not to disappoint her. She gave me everything and it was a nice performance. She can go chasing black type now.”
Lee completed his haul (bringing his seasonal tally to 40) on another favourite, the Eddie Lynam-trained Keke, who overcame a high draw and came from off the pace to collar Cuban Grey in the G Dunlop Electrical Handicap.
“It’s not the simplest track to ride this fellow,” said winning trainer Eddie Lynam. “He’s not the brightest horse in the world, but we got the right result. I’d love to try him over six furlongs.”
The Gary Halpin-ridden Iowntheball built on a promising debut run at the Curragh to take the SBD Events Pro Median Auction 2-Y-0 Maiden, giving veteran Curragh trainer Kevin Prendergast his first success of the season.
And apprentice Wesley Joyce enjoyed a poignant all-the-way win on Mick Mulvany’s Red Heel, the filly he was riding when suffering a horrendous fall in Galway almost two years ago, in the Pravha Handicap, first leg of a double for the rider, completed on Blue Wood, for Kevin Smith, in the finale.
