On the day he was crowned champion Irish flat jockey, Billy Lee ended the season by riding the winner of the very last race at the Curragh on Sunday.

Lee's 99th winner of the campaign came aboard the Willie Mullins-trained Thread Of Gold in the Listed QuinnBet Finale Stakes.

The 2/1 favourite looked in a different league to his rivals, winning the 12-furlong race by three and a half lengths.

Assistant trainer David Casey said: “He had the form coming into it to be very competitive, and to win. His work had been very good during the week.

“Billy said he did it well and was delighted with him. He thinks he’ll be better on better ground, which was a bit surprising as I thought he’d handle the cut well.

“He ran really well in Leopardstown the last day [fifth in the Kilternan Stakes], probably just didn’t fully get the run of the race.

“I think he might strengthen up over the winter a bit and hopefully he’ll be a lovely horse for next year, he might be able to step up a bit in grade as well.

“We’ll see what Willie wants to do next year but I’m sure if he wanted to go a little bit further it wouldn’t be an issue.”

Earlier in the day Aidan O’Brien’s Amelia Earhart benefited from a drop in class to win the Group 3 QuinnBet Loughbrown Stakes.

Fourth in the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak last Sunday, she was the 2/1 favourite for this contest under Gavin Ryan and ran out a ready length and a quarter winner.

It continued a fine weekend for Ballydoyle with the operation on the mark with Haffner, Sun Goddess and Benvenuto Cellini at the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland.

“It’s been a very tough season, it’s probably been my furthest down on winners and rides so to get this on the last day is great,” said the winning rider Ryan.

“Aidan has always been very good to me, he’s a great supporter. He gave me a ride in Newmarket yesterday and put me up again here today. I can’t thank him enough.

“Obviously on paper she’s the filly with the class in the race. It’s the first time I’ve sat on her and she’s like riding a colt, she’s a big strong girl.

“It was all so handy for her. We wanted to be a little bit closer but she was a touch slow away from the gates and we just had to accept where we were.

“She travelled real smooth. She’s like a big colt and you are literally able to move horses on here. She’s a big tough girl and really loves her racing and stays that trip good.”