Billy Lee© Photo Healy Racing
Billy Lee completed an 89/1 treble in the Ballykisteen Maiden as the 1/1 favourite Swift Flight won by two and a half lengths.
The Fast Company colt, placed on three occasions prior to this, was waited with in mid-division and, after being switched right to race on the stands’ side rail, made good headway to lead a furlong out. He was driven clear to score by two and a half lengths from Notoriously Risky
Lee had won the previous two races on Cracking Name and Moss Tucker and was bringing his seasonal tally to 43. The Limerick native has ridden over 50 winners in four of the last five seasons.
Winning trainer Ken Condon was completing a sprint double after Moss Tucker’s win in the 5f handicap, and said: "He deserved it, it is his eighth start but in fairness he has been unlucky a few times.
"He was beaten a nose by a nice horse of Joe Murphy's (White Lavender) at Navan and on his second last run, he got tight for room at a crucial stage.
"He has gone and done it now, he'll be put away now and like the last winner (Moss Tucker) will be a nice sprint handicapper for next year. He should make his way up the grades and should be suited by those sprint handicaps, travelling in behind the pace.
"We've had to be careful missing engagements because of lively ground and to be fair today was the first time he'd had that deep ground and he was pretty good and Billy was very good on him and rode him with plenty confidence."
Quotes from Thomas Weekes
