Earl Of Tyrone and Billy Lee are clear© Photo Healy Racing
Earl Of Tyrone was all the rage for the €50,000 Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Handicap and the 11/8 favourite justified the confidence in no uncertain manner at the Curragh.
The Paddy Twomey-trained gelding was available at 9/2 overnight and was backed down at all rates to follow up an easy win at Bellewstown in April.
Billy Lee had the four-year-old son of Australia prominent throughout and he took control from a quarter mile out in this 1m6f event, staying on strongly to beat Moon Daisy by four lengths. Kazakdaria was a further length and a half back in third.
Shanroe won this last year before finishing a close fourth in the Ebor and Earl Of Tyrone is guaranteed a place in the big York handicap line-up with victory here.
Twomey said, "He's a nice horse, he's just filling out his frame. I thought the step up in trip might suit, the way he trains he's just a galloper.
“Any time we work him he works better than he did the last time and he's got physically stronger in the six weeks since Bellewstown. I was hopeful that he might run a good race.
“He's got a slot in the Ebor now and I'd say we might look at taking it.
“Obviously the €600,000 Irish Cesarewitch here at the end of the year is very attractive as well.”
Sponsors Sky Bet go 8/1 about Earl Of Tyrone for the Ebor.
Quotes by Gary Carson
