Red and black silks, Billy Lee comes on Champagne Or Water to beat In My Pocket© Photo Healy Racing
Billy Lee completed a near 40/1 double when landing the Listed Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes for the bang in form Willie McCreery stable on 8/1 shot Champagne Or Water
Lee, at the top of his game this term, and earlier a winner on Fair Game in the opener for Edward O’Grady, gave Champagne Or Water a patient ride, soon settling in mid-division.
The Captain Rio mare made her ground in the straight where she edged left and ultimately the five-year-old led in the last hundred yards to get the upper hand on In My Pocket by half a length.
There was the same distance back to English raider Dream Walker in third.
"That's fantastic for her owners Jason and Leeann Scott. Jason spends six months of the year working in Russia, where he is at the moment, to feed his family,” reported McCreery.
"She did it well and loved the ground. She will go to the Sales at the end of the year, and will make a lovely big broodmare for somebody. We will probably try her in a Group 3 before then and see what happens.
"From her high draw I just told Billy to drop her out and settle her, and try to pick them off one by one and see what happens.
"Billy is very kind, especially on fillies, and asks them instead of telling them. That's important to me as it means they improve from race to race."
The Stewards enquired into an incident in the straight involving Dream Walker (FR), ridden by C.D. Hayes, placed third, Rainfall Radar (USA), ridden by C. O'Donoghue, placed sixth, Maneen (GB), ridden by P.J. Smullen, placed seventh and Misty Millie ridden by K.J. Leonard, unplaced. Evidence was heard from the riders concerned, in the presence of Michael Grassick, who accompanied K.J. Leonard in the Stewards room. Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion that the incident was accidental and took no further action.
The Stewards enquired into an incident on the bend after leaving the back straight involving Stenographer (USA), ridden by K.J. Manning, unplaced and Flirt ridden by R.P. Cleary, unplaced . Evidence was heard from the riders concerned. Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion that the incident was accidental and took no further action.
(AM & EM)
