FIVE-time champion jockey Johnny Murtagh says the battle to be champion between Colin Keane and Billy Lee is way too close to call with just four meetings left in the season.

The defending champion was as short as 1/8 to secure a fourth title in all after he went four winners clear two weekends ago but Lee has come roaring back over the last fortnight, and retook the lead (89-88) with a winner at the Curragh on Wednesday.

The pair were busy at Dundalk after this paper went to press yesterday evening but it seems likely the battle will extend to the season finale meeting at Naas next Sunday.

“When you get to this stage of the season and you’re in a battle, you really want it,” Murtagh told The Irish Field. “Everything slows down a notch, it’s tit for tat. You really want it because it’s a lot of hard work and it’s a lot of days gone by.

“The end of the season can be a bit monotonous but a tight battle to be champion jockey really puts a new dimension on the whole thing, it’s brilliant.”

Arguably the most important event over the next eight days will take place off the track when Lee has his appeal against a six-day ban heard before racing at Dundalk on Wednesday.

As it stands, Lee will miss the final two days of the flat season, Dundalk next Friday and Naas on Sunday. Despite there being a reasonable chance Lee could miss a significant amount of rides, the odds between the pair are relatively tight, with Keane priced up with Paddy Power at 2/5 and Lee at 7/4. Galway’s Monday fixture and Dundalk on Wednesday are the other two remaining fixtures.

Murtagh was involved in several close battles for the title with both Mick Kinane and Pat Smullen and believes Lee and Keane, who are good friends, are bringing the very best out of each other.

“It’s a long season, but I always found being in with a shot to be champion rejuvenates you. It nearly brought out the best in me those last couple of weeks. You don’t even allow yourself to get tired.

“If you’re in the top three riders in Ireland, you are a top-class rider and the two lads are really pushing each other on.

“It really focuses your mind, you’re really tuned in to everything that is happening and you’re just hoping then you pick the right ride, you’ll be getting offered plenty of rides in each race.

“The agents will play a massive role and all the time you’d be checking what the other jockey is riding. If you can beat him in every race, then you’ve a chance.

“I couldn’t call it at the minute. I really don’t have a preference who wins it, although Colin has done it before, it would be great for Billy to get there. Whoever wins it will deserve it at the end of a long year.”