PADDY Twomey could be set for a big boost into the key autumn window of the season as the multiple Group 1-winning trainer expects stable jockey Billy Lee to be pushing for a return ahead of the Irish Champions Festival and Betfred St Leger weekend.

Lee had been enjoying a terrific season prior to suffering a nasty collarbone injury in a fall at Limerick on July 12th that required surgery.

Carmers, who Lee guided to victory in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, is one of the leading players in the Doncaster classic on September 13th, generally priced between 11/2 and 6/1 after a pleasing trial second in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last week.

Speaking to Racing TV after a winner at Navan on Thursday, Twomey said: “Hopefully Billy will be back soon. I think he’s going to see his doctor at the start of that week [of Leopardstown/Curragh/Doncaster] and I’d be hopeful that he’d be back riding for the weekend of the Irish Champions Festival.

“He’s in great form. Obviously the injury stopped his year dead and I don’t think that puts anyone in great form but he’s handled it well and hopefully he’ll come back with a bang in a couple of weeks’ time.”

He added: “In terms of our team for the Irish Champions Festival, we’re a bit broken up this year because we have Carmers heading to Doncaster for the St Leger on the same weekend, as well as Super Sox for the Sceptre Stakes over there. I think we’ll have the likes of One Look for the Blandford Stakes or the Matron Stakes, we might have a two-year-old for the Ingabelle, King Cuan might run.

“I’d say any jockey wanting to ride Carmers in the St Leger would have to push Billy out of the way. I don’t know yet but I’d be surprised if he didn’t ride him. The horse has been in great form since his run at York - he bounced off the box.”