Countess Of Tyrone and Billy Lee© Photo Healy Racing
Countess Of Tyrone justified good support when making a winning debut for Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee in the Guinness Irish EBF (Fillies) Maiden at Galway.
The full sister to Earl Of Tyrone, who won three times for the same connections last year and was beaten just over a length when third in the Ebor, was available at 15/2 overnight and supported throughout the day going off the 11/4 favourite.
Lee gave her a patient ride making headway to challenge on the outer approaching the straight and she got well on top in the closing stages to beat Delicate Girl by three and a quarter lengths. Yamalia Star was a further length and a half back in third.
The victory continued a good recent run for the successful trainer and jockey who have shared five winners in the past eight days.
Twomey said, "She's a nice filly, she's a sister of Earl Of Tyrone that we had last year, and it's great to get her started. I thought she'd run a nice race today and I'm thrilled that she won.
“He probably intended to be a little bit closer than he was, but he was where he was.
“At the top he angled himself out to track Chris (Hayes) and he looked comfortable, his two elbows were in by his side coming down into the dip and up the hill and I thought we had a chance.
“She's been with a couple of different pre-trainers and Brian O'Connor, in Kilkenny, did a very good job with her before she came to me.
“I purposefully left her out, brought her in in the spring and we've taken our time and she was just ready to start. I think she'll be a nice four-year-old and up.
“Robert (Moran, owner) is in Ireland and he'd love to have been here tonight and he'd love to see her out again so she might have another run this year but I'd say it's very much next year with her.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
