JUST a few hours after it emerged that Billy Lee would definitely miss the last two meetings of the flat season Colin Keane secured what was ultimately the decisive victory in this year’s jockey’s championship battle when landing the opening mile claimer on Bucky Larson.

When Billy Lee’s recent whip suspension was upheld at an appeal on Wednesday morning, he was left with just this fixture to try and add to his tally. However, he drew a blank and it then transpired that Keane’s success in the opener brought the championship battle to a close.

It was unfortunate that a suspension deprived the last two days of the season of an enthralling climax but over the course of the summer and autumn Lee and Keane have served up a tremendous and utterly compelling title battle from which both jockeys emerged with huge credit.

Gilt-edged

It was perhaps fitting that Keane should claim his fourth title on a horse trained by Ger Lyons and over the last number of seasons Bucky Larson has been a great stalwart of the yard, winning seven of his 36 starts. This claimer looked a gilt-edged opening for the seven-year-old, as evidenced by a starting price of 2/5, and he took full advantage. The Sean Jones and Lynne Lyons-owned gelding strode to the head of the field approaching the last quarter of a mile and soon held a clear advantage which he maintained to the line to prevail by four and a half lengths.

“It has been a good tussle from the start to here. I’m delighted to come out the right end of it,” reflected Keane later in the evening. “It probably takes the fun out of it for spectators on the weekend with Billy unfortunately missing the last couple of days. Billy would have been a very deserving winner and I’ve no doubt he could be in the same position next year. The yards he is riding for are getting bigger and stronger.”

The Mpex Kid (6/1), who was successful here in the first week of the season, added to his haul with a brave effort from the front in the 47-70 rated mile handicap. Ciaran Murphy’s charge raced on the pace throughout for Siobhan Rutledge and he answered his rider’s every call from the turn in to get home by half a length from the favourite Darkdeserthighway.

“We really fancied him at the Curragh when he was second to Michael O’Callaghan’s horse, Facethepuckout, who was very well in,” Murphy said. “Siobhan was very good on him and he loves the surface and seems to be really enjoying his racing now. Hopefully there is another one in him before Christmas and we’ve had one more winner than last year with half the runners.”

Sustained effort

Maestro Stick’s (4/1) last win came the evening prior to the start of the season and the Keith Clarke-trained son of Frankel returned to that form.

The Phoenix Bloodstock Syndicate-owned gelding strode to the front for Gavin Ryan entering the last couple of furlongs and sustained his effort to see off the favourite Jaafel by a length and a quarter. Maestro Stick will return to Dundalk for a winter season campaign.

Juvenile promise from Queen Maedbh

THE two-year-old maidens at this fixture had the potential to produce a pair of promising prospects for next year and both Queen Maedbh and Carracci gave their connections plenty to look forward to in 2023 after their respective victories.

First up was Joseph O’Brien’s Queen Maedbh who confirmed the considerable promise of her debut several months ago by landing the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction Maiden over six furlongs. The daughter of Gleneagles made a really taking first start for Gavin Cromwell at Leopardstown during the summer when chasing home the O’Brien-trained Montesilvano and was subsequently bought privately.

Market leader

On her debut for O’Brien and the HOS Syndicate, Queen Maedbh was sent off the 4/6 favourite and won with authority under Mikey Sheehy. The market leader gave the impression that she had everything covered from some way out and she asserted in likeable fashion in the closing stages to defeat the 72-rated Catherine Of Sienna by just under three lengths.

“Mikey she travelled the whole way around there. She picked up nicely and it was just hands and heels. She could be exciting,” stated the trainer’s representative Brendan Powell.

Half an hour later it was the turn of Carracci who led home an Aidan O’Brien one-two in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over seven furlongs.

This son of Quality Road looked as though he would be all the better for his debut run at the Curragh last month and he bore out that view. The 9/4 shot responded well to Seamie Heffernan’s promptings to lead nearing the final furlong and he stuck to his task well to defeat his front-running stablemate Farnborough by half a length.

An excellent season for owner-trainer James McAuley yielded another winner as Finke River (4/1) and Shane Foley secured the second division of the 47-65 rated seven-furlong handicap. The Australia three-year-old took charge of this race as the last furlong loomed to defeat Delta Romeo by two and a half lengths. This success pushed McAuley on to the 16-winner mark for the season.

Halford finishes strongly for Enright

MICHAEL Halford’s strong finish to the season continued as he sent out Riccardi Medici (11/10) to defy top weight in the first divide of the 47-65 rated mile-and-a-half handicap. Owned and bred by Michael Enright, the son of No Nay Never had shaped quite well in his recent starts and he won nicely for Ronan Whelan. He came between horses to lead with over a furlong to run and kept on well to the line to hold off Chutzpal by a length and a half, looking like one that could easily be adding to his tally in the coming weeks.

“I am delighted that he got his head in front for Michael Enright who is a very good owner with us and he has been very loyal to us. He’s a horse that I think will make an even better four-year-old,” commented Halford. “The penny is starting to drop with this horse now and he has the size and scope to improve. He might be back here again but will probably be put away this side of Christmas for next year.”

The 11/4 favourite Boom Boom Boom made short work of his opponents in the other divide of the mile-and-a-half handicap. The Charles Byrnes inmate won at Navan during the summer and turned out in great shape for his first try on an artificial surface in over two years. Gary Halpin was on board the Cathal Byrnes-owned five-year-old who scythed his way through the pack with some ease from the turn in en route to a two-and-a-half-length victory over Pepsiwithacap.