Jancis finishes in style to deliver double for Billy Lee

Superbly handled by Colin Keane, Lady Lunette (5/1) gave Ray Cody the biggest win of his training career when she pounced inside the final furlong to beat Snellen and Shayzann in the €100,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Nasrullah Handicap.

Thu, 11 Jul, 2024 - 22:12

John Ryan

Leopardstown report

The Willie McCreery-trained Jancis produced an impressive turn of foot to land the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Brownstown Stakes in Leopardstown yesterday.

Second leg of a double for Billy Lee, the Tamayuz filly, successful on her debut over this course and distance last month, quickened past six rivals in the last furlong and a half to beat front-runner Bluedrum, readily, by two and a quarter lengths.

McCreery stated, “She’s a lovely, athletic filly and we’ve taken our time with her. We had to choose become coming here or going to Killarney next week, where there would have been a full field. She had experience around here and we felt she’d learn more.”

“I loved the way she picked up and Billy says there’s more there. And she flows over that good ground.”

‘She’s a light-framed filly and doesn’t take a lot of work. She’s entitled to come back here for the (Group 1) ‘Matron’ (in September) and I don’t think she’ll do anything more before then.”

Superbly handled by Colin Keane, Lady Lunette (5/1) gave Ray Cody the biggest win of his training career when, having encountered trouble early in the straight, she pounced inside the final furlong to beat Snellen and Shayzann in the €100,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Nasrullah Handicap.

“It’s some pot to win — I’m thrilled with her,” declared Cody, “The handicapper has given her a chance and that sort of race suits her. Colin said the more trouble he got into, the more she came back on the bridle.”

“She had a nice weight and likes that nice ground, so everything worked out lovely. We’ll see how she is and talk to her owners (the Curtin family), but I’d say we’ll put her in the Galway Mile — the entries close during the week.”

Far from disgraced on her debut at the Curragh, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Exactly justified 15/8 favouritism in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2-Y-0 Fillies Maiden, giving Billy Lee his first winner for Ballydoyle and the first leg of a double.

Exactly and market rival Chantez challenged pace-forcer Queen Fury approaching the furlong-pole and, switched to the inner, the winner, a daughter of Frankel, stayed on bravely to prevail by a head.

“Wayne loved her at the Curragh, although she got stuck in traffic and it was a bit of a non-event,” explained O’Brien’s representative Chris Armstrong.

“Billy gave her a lovely ride and got a lovely split up the rail and she battled well for him. She’ll appreciate going up to a mile. We might look at something like the ‘Flame Of Tara’ with her.”

After two frustrating near misses at the Curragh, Transcending Glory defied top-weight for Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen in the seven-furlong Ryans Cleaning 3-Y-0 Handicap, dictating the pace and digging deep in the closing stages to foil favourite Quadruple by the minimum margin.

“We went an even pace and he picked up well — he’s improving with every run,” said Coen.

“He waits a bit in front, but battles them off.” Galway might now be on the agenda for Transcending Glory.

Ger O’Leary continued his rich vein of form when Giuseppe Cassioli (Keithen Kennedy) prevailed over Rio Largo and Grey Leader in the Hermitage Green At Bulmers Live Handicap and said: “Keithen gave him a beautiful ride, again.

“He’s a consistent horse and will go to Galway now, for a 50-80 seven-furlong handicap on the Tuesday.”

Luke Comer won the Leopardstown Members (Amateur) Race with 14/1 shot Seattle Creek, under a strong ride by Finny Maguire to deny The Names Jock and Sixandahalf.