Billy Lee rides two to victory in Killarney including debutant City of Dubai
City Of Dubai and Bily Lee win for owner Bond Thoroughbred Ltd and trainer Paddy Twomey. Pic: Healy Racing
Debutant City Of Dubai, in the familiar Bond colours, bolstered Paddy Twomey’s impressive strike-rate in Killarney when landing the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2-Y-0 Maiden on Monday.
The race opened the five-day July festival, a race which was won last year by recent Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby victor Benvenuto Cellini.
The Mehmas colt, a €260,000 purchase, got the better of front-running hot-pot Oklahoma early in the final furlong before holding on by a half-length, under Billy Lee, from fast-finishing newcomer Francillon, with the 30/100 favourite a similar distance away third.
“He’s a nice horse and has been doing everything right,” stated Twomey, “We waited for him through May and June and he has come forward well in the last few weeks." said Lee.
“I told Charlie Bond this morning that he has plenty of ability and was ready to start and told him that he could win or finish fourth.
“He has a good staying pedigree and I’ll try to give him a couple of runs over a mile this year before he steps up in trip next spring.”
Lee added: “I tried to make sure Wayne went an even pace, We built up the straight and I was able to bide my time. He picked-up well when I gave him a flick and got a little tired in front, but won well.”
Lee completed a first-and-last-race double when Henry de Bromhead’s Chicago Moon (11/2), in first-time cheekpieces, wore down front-runner Canon Law inside the final furlong of the Heights Hotel Handicap.
Out of luck with Oklahoma, Aidan O’Brien and Wayne Hassett bounced back when Straight Up, dropping in class, landed the messy three-runner Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race at the expense of 4/7 shot Res Ipsa.
“He had a good run in the (Derby) trial and I though dropping back to a mile would suit him” said Lordan. “He’s a big horse and the bends here are sharp. I lost my footing on the bottom bend, but it probably helped me, because I had something to aim at up the straight. That ground suited and he’d handle slower.”
Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle, who will be represented by Limestone in tonight’s Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris in Longchamp, were on the mark when Vauntingly, placed in her three previous starts, made virtually all to justify 13/8 favouritism in the Kerry Publicans Summer Race Day Fillies Maiden.
The winning rider said, “She had done nothing wrong and set the standard. Stepping-up in trip suited her. She took me along nice in front and when Wayne’s filly (White Sand Beach) came to her she finished off well. She’s a nice progressive filly but needs to take the next step up.”
The Carriganog combination struck again when Highwayman, a well-backed 5/2 shot, stepping-up significantly bolted-up by nine lengths from Yogini in the eleven-furlong median auction maiden, a 35th winner of the season for champion-jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle.
After watching the Adam Caffrey-ridden Johnny Soda register his third success of 2026 in the SIS Supporting Irish Racing Handicap his trainer Ado McGuinness confirmed, “We had plans to go to Galway when we saw this. It’s great that he’s won again, but he’ll still head west – there’s a race for him there on the Wednesday.
“Adam said the ground is as quick as he’s want it. He’s improving away and should progress to be a premier handicap horse.”
Fourteen-race maiden Molto Amichi belatedly opened his account when, ridden by Luke McAteer, he made all to justify 10/11 favouritism in the Killarney Glamping Handicap, prompting his trainer Eoin Griffin to comment, “That’s a relief – it’s been a while coming. The more positive tactics suit him. I’m not sure Galway would suit him, but the lads might like a day out there.”
