Colin Keane and Billy Lee have both picked up rides in six of the seven races open to them. In the first race of the day, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, reigning champion Keane partners the Michael Halford-trained Dromantine and Lee teams up with County Limerick trainer David Geary on Nightcliff.
Keane and Lee both sit out the second race but are in action in race three, the Bet Builder At Novibet Handicap (2.15), with Keane on the Ger O’Leary-trained Fastar and Lee partnering Cnodian, a narrow runner-up at the course yesterday, for Willie McCreery.
Ray Cody’s Recommendable is Keane’s mount in the Big Picture Communications Fillies Maiden (2.50) with Lee teaming up with the Michael Grassick-trained Indy System.
King Arthurs Sword was a winner for Colin Keane and Michael O'Callaghan at Leopardstown on Saturday and they are reunited in the Play Novileague At Novibet Handicap (3.25) in which Lee rides two-time course winner Thefaithfulindian for another Curragh trainer, Aidan Howard.
Keane is back in the saddle on another of his season’s winners, the Gordon Elliott-trained Tronador, in the Extra Place Races At Novibet Handicap (4.00) with Lee set to partner Advantage Point for trainers Edward and Patrick Harty in the race.
In the Bet Responsibly At Novibet Handicap (4.35), Keane wraps up on Indiana Grey for trainer Pat Martin while Tim Doyle’s Wrist Art is Billy Lee’s final mount of the day.
Colin Keane was first crowned champion jockey in 2017. He regained the title in 2020 and was champion again last year. His season has been highlighted by his Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby success on the Ralph Beckett-trained Westover, a first win in the race for the Trim, County Meath, jockey.
Colin scored at Group 2 level on the Ger Lyons-trained Camorra in the Comer Group International Curragh Cup and on the Michael O'Callaghan-trained Crypto Force in the Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford Stakes. The Lyons-trained Markaz Paname and Dr Zempf were both Group 3 winners while the four-time scorer Mutasarref was his most prolific winner this season.
Billy Lee has easily enjoyed his most successful season in 2022. He is well ahead of his previous best tally of 57 winners, set in 2019, and he has two Group 1 wins to his name this season. Billy gave trainer Paddy Twomey a first Group 1 success when La Petite Coco won the Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh in June.
The pair were also winners at Leopardstown on Longines Irish Champions Weekend with Pearls Galore in the Group 1 Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes. Lee also won the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes on the same horse at the Curragh in May while Twomey’s Rosscarbery was the winner of two Group 3 races for the Ballingarry, County Limerick jockey who enjoyed a third Group 3 win this season on Rumbles Of Thunder, another notable victory for Cashel-based Twomey. Rosscarbery was a five-time winner for the combination this season.
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