BILLY Lee went back to the top of the flat jockeys’ championship when riding two 7/1 winners for trainer Willie McCreery at Roscommon on Monday evening.
The pair combined for an early success with the COR Racing Syndicate-owned Phoenix Pairc in the Elphin Handicap.
The four-year-old came from off the pace and led in the final strides to pip the Colin Keane-ridden 15/8 favourite Givehertilxmas by a head.
McCreery commented: “She just dropped into that (0-60) grade last week and I’m sure she’ll be back out of it again, but we’ll find something similar.
“They went very hard and it suited us from a bad draw. She broke well but Billy said they were going too hard, so he let her slot in.
“I’m delighted for Ciaran (O’Reilly). He’s a local man and they bred that filly as well. He’s a St Brigid’s GAA man here in Roscommon.”
Doubling up
Miss Romagna was a second winner for both trainer and jockey in the 12-furlong Racing Here Again On September 28 Maiden.
Up with the pace from the off, she led well before halfway and kicked a few lengths clear passing the two-furlong pole to beat the running-on Purple Bandit by all of five and a half lengths for her Italian owner.
“That was lovely. She’s my first runner for Giampiero Vellucci so I’m delighted. He was just on [the phone] there and he’s absolutely thrilled”, said McCreery.
“She’s a big filly and I don’t think she’ll suit handicaps, she’s not mentally there yet. Smaller fields will suit her. Next year will be her best year.”
Lee’s double saw him regain the lead in the flat jockeys’ championship with 68 winners, two clear of Colin Keane.
ANDY Slattery added to his win with the Philip Donovan-ridden Killeemore Lad in the beginners’ chase at Downpatrick earlier in the day as the mare Letiza took the 12-furlong Oran Handicap.
The trainer’s son Andrew was on board as the All Stars Racing Syndicate-owned six-year-old led approaching the furlong-pole and stuck at it well to beat her fellow 7/1 chance Stellar Moment by a head.
“We don’t have her that long, about three months,” said Slattery of his fifth winner in four days. “She was in England and wasn’t running well there so they brought her back.
“He (Andrew) said he wouldn’t hit the front again as soon as she was idling a bit. I think she’ll go on soft ground too.”
Close finish
It was tighter again as Aidan O’Brien and Wayne Lordan struck with South Dakota in the opening Irish EBF Median Sires Race over seven furlongs.
The 3/1 shot headed Paddy Twomey’s 7/4 favourite Joga Bonita approaching the final furlong and the pair battled it out to the line with the Ballydoyle hope holding the game Galway Festival maiden winner by just a shorthead.
Representing O’Brien, Chris Armstrong said: “It looked like a lovely race for him but at declaration time it was a competitive field.
“He’s been put in at the deep end in a few races. He’s a horse that showed a nice bit of ability at home and that will do his confidence the world of good.
“He’s entered up in plenty of races in the coming weeks and we’ll step him up to stakes company now.”
Full of praise
Ado McGuinness was full of praise for Adam Caffrey after Goal Exceeded came out best in a close finish to the seven-furlong Lidan Handicap.
Caffrey brought the well-backed 7/2 favourite between horses to challenge inside the final furlong before leading inside the last 50 yards to record a half-length win over Morehampton.
McGuinness said: “I thought he was very good him because he jumped smart and was too keen. In fairness to Adam, it was ballsy the way he took him back and buried him.
“He’s a tricky enough customer, but has loads to ability. Fair play to the boys (Breen White, Martin White and Declan Sheridan), they are good supporters of mine.”
HALF a length was also the winning margin as even-money favourite Hazdann came from last to first in the straight for a cosy success in the 10-furlong Lecarrow Race.
The Dermot Weld-trained four-year-old was having just his third start since winning his maiden as a two-year-old at the Curragh on Irish Derby weekend in 2024. On his second outing this year, he led early inside the final furlong under Chris Hayes to beat God Of Love.
“It’s lovely to have him back in the winner’s enclosure again, he’s a grand horse and we’re all very fond of him,” said Kris Weld.
“It was a bit of a messy race but he’s done it well in the end. We’ll go back into stakes company with him next. A little more ease in the ground will be beneficial to him as well.”
‘I think he can progress’
Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen combined to win the concluding Roscommon Racecourse On Facebook Handicap over 12 furlongs with Priorstown.
The Newtown Anner Stud Farm-owned 9/2 chance headed 4/1 joint-favourite Glen Echo early inside the final furlong to win by a length and a quarter.
The winning owner’s racing manager P.J. Colville said: “We stepped up in trip and put cheekpieces on him. He’s just hard to assess as he doesn’t do a stroke at home, he’s very lazy.
“I think he can progress. Ben said he’d want it a little bit softer than that.
“He’ll reach his own level. We’ll find another similar race and go from there.”