Dundalk double puts Billy Lee back into race for Irish Jockeys championship

What a difference a week makes. Colin Keane left Dundalk on October 14th three winners ahead of Billy Lee in this season’s Irish Flat Jockeys’ Championship.

Five winners since then, including a double at Dundalk last Friday, meant that this week Billy left the stadium one ahead of Colin. A thrilling battle for the championship looks set to go down to the wire. Both are now neck and neck on 88 winners.

Billy’s double on Friday came via Tai Sing Yeh (14/1) and Beleaguerment (11/2) in divisions one and two of the William Hill Extra Places Everyday Handicap. He has now ridden 86 winners this season.

Both horses are owned and trained by County Dublin-based James McAuley, who has now had ten winners this year at Dundalk. Only fellow Dublin handler Ado McGuinness (12) and Joseph O’Brien have had more successes during the same period.

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Joseph’s tally rose to 15 when Fawkner Park (11/8), ridden by Shane Crosse, ran out an impressive six-and-a-half-length winner of the William Hill-sponsored maiden that closed Friday’s card.

The winner could now be heading for the sales ring. Given that the son of Zoffany is a half-brother to three winners, including Australian Group 2 winner Saracen Knight, and his granddam has produced seven winners, including Grade 1 scorer Debussy, he is sure to attract plenty of interest if coming under the hammer.

Colin Keane was just edged out in the card’s opening race, the fillies’ claimer, when Eglish (13/8 fav) was beaten a neck by Pretty Smart (14/1), who is trained in Meath by Pat Martin and was running over seven furlongs for just the fourth time in her 46-race career thus far. The winning jockey was Mikey Sheehy.

The apprentice handicap saw Bears Hug (17/2) bounce back to form in the hands of Scott McCullagh. Trained in Kildare by Adrian Sexton, the gelding was gaining his second career success, the first having also come at Dundalk in October of last year.

“He wanted to win, which is a help,” said the winning rider. “He has strengthened since I last rode him and is probably best when fresh”. This was his first run for 67 days.

There were just two winning favourites on the night, the first being Manaccan (evens) in the card’s feature, the €55,000 Group 3 Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Pat Smullen Stakes.

One of two British runners in the five-furlong contest, he was ridden to victory by Stevie Donohoe, who is based in Newmarket in England but hails from Athlone.

Winning trainer John Ryan, who also operates from Newmarket, said: “Stevie is a very professional rider and has ridden lots of good winners for me, but none as good as this. I think we may have a very special horse for next year.” He then added, “We thank everyone for being so kind to us over here”.

The second winning favourite was Londoner (2/1), who is trained by Aidan O’Brien and was ridden by Seamie Heffernan and ran out a very good winner of the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden. The winning distance was four lengths.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong said, “He has a lovely attitude and is a horse to look forward to next year.”

By Saxon Warrior, who is having a fine season as a stallion, out of the 2010 Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye winner Gilt Edge Girl, the winner is bred to be good and holds entries for next year’s Irish 2,000 Guineas and Epsom Derby.

The card’s nursery, the William Hill Play Responsibly Nursery, was won by Westmeath trainer Ciaran Murphy’s Wakai Umi (5/1), whose success saw jockey Jamie Powell’s claim reduced from 7lbs to 5lbs.

Five of Jamie’s wins have come since October 10th and he’s a young rider whose star is certainly on the rise.

Dundalk will race again on Friday 28th October. The provisional start time is 5:30pm, but this will become 5pm if a race divides, which is highly likely given the popularity of racing at the Stadium.