Pontchateau and Billy Lee win the colts and geldings maiden© Photo Healy Racing
Pontachateau maintained Paddy Twomey’s impressive strike rate with victory in the 3-y-o colts and geldings maiden.
The gelded son of War Command, sporting a visor as he had done on debut, moved into third entering the straight behind market principals Yulong Magicreef and Hosier (7/4 fav).
He found plenty under pressure for Billy Lee to edge ahead of the favourite racing to the furlong pole, and asserted late on for a two length victory.
The winner had been nearest at the finish when fifth on his first outing at Roscommon a little over a week ago.
“All of my horses take their first run, said winning trainer Paddy Twomey.
"I ran a few in maidens in the last week, they all run as good as they can the first day but racing experience seems to bring them on.
“I was hoping he'd run a nice race today and he went and did that nicely.
“He's tough. He wears the visors because he's lazy but he's not ungenuine.
“He's in the July sales and he'll go there. I'd say he could go abroad or he might go jumping, he's a fine horse.
“He likes fast ground and he'll do well wherever he goes.”
Billy Lee said afterwards: “He was very sleepy in Roscommon and fell out of the stalls, but he came home well.
“I knew he would stay well so I attacked the favourite early in the straight, and he ground it out well to the line.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
