BILLY Lee completed a treble at Tipperary on Tuesday, where the jockey partnered a winner for trainer Willie McCreery and two for Paddy Twomey.

Having completed a Cork hat-trick last week, Twomey and Lee combined to win the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Race with Rogue Legend (4/5 favourite), following up on his maiden win a week prior. The Havana Grey colt’s second success was as straightforward as his first, making all and easing clear to score by three and a quarter lengths.

Twomey quipped: “The trainer hadn’t planned it out very well, as he carried 9st8lb the first day, 9st9lb the second day and was even worse today with 9st12lb. To be fair to the horse, he keeps responding.

“He has no choice now but to step up to stakes class, so I’ll chat with the lads (owners Rogues Gallery Partnership). Ideally, he would go for the listed race over five furlongs back here in July, but they might want to go to (Royal) Ascot. There are 27 of them here, so they’ll all have opinions!

Small but mighty

Lee scored another easy win in the very next race as the Willie McCreery-trained Shoney (9/4) routed her rivals in the It’s A Long Way To Being 50 Shane Anderson Maiden.

The in-form rider adopted identical tactics in the five-furlong sprint and Michael Ryan’s home-bred was in command a furlong out, going on to win by four and a quarter lengths. Regarding the grandaughter of Finsceal Beo, McCreery said: “She is small, but is by a very good sire in Mehmas and he seems to put a lot of heart into his progeny, and she has heart.

“It was important to get up on the high side (of the draw) here and Billy was eventually able to do that and she dictated. Billy said when he asked her, she put her head down, dropped lower again and took off.

“When she is that small, you’re not going handicapping with her, so we’ll hope to nab blacktype before the end of the year.”

Fast when it matters

Lee completed his treble in the Tipperary Town Maiden in more unorthodox fashion, as his debutante mount Pharos Freedom (7/2) missed the break.

Recovering to race prominently, the Vimal Khosla-owned colt asserted two furlongs out and, despite racing greenly, beat Ardashir by a length and three quarters.

Twomey commented: “He is a good, tough horse and he had done all his work with Carmers, who won at Ballinrobe and at Navan.

“They had been working equally well together, so we had an idea we had a nice horse.

“He is out of a Galileo mare and I think he will stay well. Going up in trip wouldn’t be a problem when he gets more experience, but we’ll take our time.”

FOLLOWING the evening’s racing, Lee trailed Colin Keane 32-25 in the Jockeys Championship, as the latter bagged a winner on the Ger Lyons-trained newcomer Sonoran (10/1) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden over seven furlongs.

Racing in touch in the early stages, the Sean Jones-owned gelding was nudged along to lead two furlongs out and soon drew clear with one other. Ridden entering the final furlong, he kept on to win by three and three-quarter lengths, with another eight lengths back to the third.

Shane Lyons reported: “We took our time with him as he was immature as a two-year-old, but has really filled into himself. He is having a look around even now, so is going to improve an awful lot.

“Colin said he will get further and can only improve. We’ll go home and make a plan.”

Only way is up

Sarahmae appears to be a filly on an upward curve after registering her second course-and-distance success in fine style in the SIS Supporting Irish Racing Handicap.

Denis Hogan’s charge had missed the break badly at Cork last week, but a fine finish to take fourth saw her sent off the 5/2 favourite for Tuesday’s five-furlong handicap.

The daughter of Magna Grecia raced prominently under Joey Sheridan and took the lead approaching the final furlong. Quickening smartly when asked, she pricked her ears crossing the line two and three-quarter lengths clear of Beano Power.

On the Mary Hogan and Mike O’Brien-owned winner, Hogan commented: “She deserved that as she was unlucky at Cork last week, when she could possibly have won.

“She is obviously improving and likes an ease in the ground, which she hasn’t had since she won here last month. She looks an improving sprinter, so hopefully can keep going and Joey gets a good tune out of her; he is riding very well.”

THE easiest winner of the day was The Real Screamer (7/4 favourite) in the opening Tipperary Optional Claiming Race, as the Paul Flynn-trained, Claire Howes-owned gelding ran away from inferior rivals, to score hard-held by five lengths.

Winning jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle said: “He was very solid in Dundalk through the winter and then had a nice comeback run in Navan. Chris (Hayes) said he didn’t handle the track at Ballinrobe.

“He stepped forward from his latest run at Roscommon and it was just a matter of not getting in trouble on him today. He is a good bit better than them, it was good to see him get back to his best and he hit the line good.”

Happy owner

Spanish John (8/1) gained an overdue second career success in the concluding Visit Tipperary Handicap, his first since winning a handicap hurdle in August 2023. Held up by Keithen Kennedy, Pat Fahy’s charge was pushed along behind the leaders turning for home and ran on gamely under pressure approaching the final furlong.

The Ballinaboley Plant Hire Syndicate-owned chesnut dug deep to beat Plunkett Street by three-parts of a length, the pair rallying six lengths clear of the remainder.

Pat Fahy reported: “He found it very hard to find his feet and with different things including a palate problem as well. We sent him to Ger Kelly (vet) who gave him a wind operation.

“He was carrying weight (condition) today so we thought he’d be lucky if he was up to it, but the non-runners helped and so did the wind op. We’ll mix and match between the flat and hurdles. It’ll keep my brother-in-law John Smith (owner) quiet, as he kept saying I’d never win with that fella!”