18+ | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure

Lee goes further clear as Churchill Bond wins well at Gowran Park

Churchill Bond and Billy Lee race clear to win at Gowran ParkChurchill Bond and Billy Lee race clear to win at Gowran Park
© Healy Racing Photos

Runaway jockeys' championship leader Billy Lee scored a runaway success on the Paddy Twomey-trained Churchill Bond in the EBF Median Sires Fillies Maiden (Smullen Series) at Gowran Park.

The 4/7 favourite came good on her fifth start, racing clear over a furlong out to win by an easy six lengths from Gavin Cromwell's 18/1 chance Golden Gift with the Andy Slattery-trained 50/1 shot Itstheonlyoneigot a shorthead away in third place.

It was Billy Lee's 97th winner of the season putting him 20 clear of former champion Colin Keane with just seven meetings of the season remaining, beginning at the Curragh tomorrow.

Lee said, “In the calendar year, I got to the hundred (winners) yesterday. If I could get to the hundred in the season it would be nice. I'm getting there. It's been a great year, so I'm delighted.

“I thought the run the last day in Listowel was probably the best of her runs. She had been coming forward. I was a little bit worried about the trip but her pedigree said that she should get it.

“I had no problems, she travelled around easy and picked up and got through the ground well. She saw it out well and it was a good performance.”

About Shane Redmond
Shane joined Irish Racing Services in 1991 and has been involved in the horse racing industry in Ireland ever since. He worked as a racing reporter, probable SP compiler and SP reporter with Racing Services for 12 years before spending over 22 years with Horse Racing Ireland where his roles included editing the Irish Form Book between 2003 and 2014.