Billy Lee

Prepared for a debut of extra significance by Paddy Twomey, the Connolly Racing Syndicate's One Look (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) stormed to a six-length success in The Curragh's Goffs Million on Saturday to cap a red-letter day for the stable. Well-supported into 5-1 second favouritism, the €65,000 Goffs Orby graduate waited towards the back early under Billy Lee. Sent forward as the even-money favourite Cherry Blossom (Ire) (No Nay Never) made her move passing two out, she swamped that rival at the furlong pole and powered clear for an emphatic introduction....

Bouncing out of a defeat in Leopardstown's G2 Champions Juvenile S. earlier this month, Vimal Khosla's Deepone (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}--Avyanna {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) put that behind him by dominating Saturday's G2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford S. at The Curragh. Only fourth behind Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) on Irish Champions Day, the Paddy Twomey-trained 3-1 joint-second favourite soon had control on the front end under Billy Lee and never looked like being reeled in as he secured a 1 3/4-length defeat of Chief Little Rock (Ire) (Galileo...

First there was the Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) at 28-1 in the Nunthorpe, then Saturday's Haydock Sprint Cup turn-up courtesy of the 10-1 shot Regional (GB) (Territories {Ire}) and now Moss Tucker (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}--Rare Symphony {Ire}, by Pastoral Pursuits {GB}) to complete the shock treble at 16-1 in Sunday's G1 Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five S. at the Curragh, a GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint qualifier. This looked a surefire renewal for the Brits on form, but one by one Highfield Princess (Fr)...

The Irish Champions Festival began with a renewal of Leopardstown's Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle S. which may prove better than its status in time as two class acts dominated proceedings throughout. While Ballydoyle's 13-8 favourite Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) did her thing by going fast in front and keeping at it, Natalia Lupini's Kitty Rose (GB) (Invincible Army {Ire}--Varnish {GB}, by Choisir {Aus}) had too many guns from over a furlong out and stretched to an impressive 2 1/2-length success under Billy Lee. In doing so, the 3-1...

Coming into Saturday's six-furlong G3 Heider Family Stables Round Tower S. off an eye-catching third in a median sires series maiden over the same trip and Curragh track earlier in the month, Alymer Stud's Letsbefrankaboutit (Ire) (Sioux Nation) justified 2-1 favouritism to provide the Paddy Twomey stable with another notable pattern-race success. Confidently ridden buried in mid-division early by Billy Lee, the €240,000 Tatts Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up purchase was produced with a smooth run to overhaul Mansa Musa (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) passing the furlong pole en route to a...

Providing a boost to her G3 Silver Flash S. conqueror Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Al Shira'aa Farms' Vespertilio (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Prudente {Fr}, by Dansili {GB}) sprung forward to capture Saturday's seven-furlong G2 Alpha Centauri Debutante S. in style at The Curragh. Beaten 1 1/2 lengths when second to Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star in that important staging post at Leopardstown last month, the Willie McCreery-trained €320,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate was held up in last early by a confident Billy Lee content to let it all play out...

Underlining the strength of the speedier 3-year-olds this year, Al Shira'aa Farms' Ocean Jewel (Ire) (Sioux Nation) passed a stern test against the older brigade on Thursday as she captured Leopardstown's G3 TRI Equestrian Ballycorus S. Stretching out to seven furlongs, having finished third behind The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Ocean Quest (Ire) (Sioux Nation) in the G3 Lacken S. over six at Naas last month, the Willie McCreery-trained half-sister to the 1000 Guineas heroine Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) was able to use her sprinting prowess to...

The Lanwades Stud-based first-season sire Study Of Man (Ire) (by Deep Impact {Jpn}) became the latest member of that class to register a first winner as Vimal Khosla's colt Deepone (GB) scored on debut at Leopardstown on Friday. Sent off the well-supported 3-1 favourite for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over an extended seven furlongs, the Paddy Twomey-trained bay who was a 62,000gns Book 3 purchase was settled a few lengths off the pace by Billy Lee travelling smoothly. Sweeping to the front on the outer passing the furlong...

Most of the attention was focused on Ballydoyle's first juvenile runner Alabama (Ire) (No Nay Never) before Cork's five-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden on Saturday, but ultimately it was another newcomer in the Paddy Twomey-trained Noche Magica (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Pious Alexander {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) who stole the limelight to become the first European 2-year-old TDN Rising Star of 2023. Always travelling smoothly anchored towards the back by Billy Lee, Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi's £230,000 top-priced colt of the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale moved forward with ease...

Paddy Twomey and statistics go hand in hand. It seems as though, whenever the trainer's name is mentioned, a number or a stat of some sort will follow. And it's easy to see why: statistically, Twomey is the most upwardly-mobile handler in Ireland. This is a man who has been operating at a 23 per cent strike-rate or higher since 2018. That takes serious doing in an environment as competitive as Ireland. While the 46-year-old has been training officially since 2012, his Tipperary-based operation has been open to outside owners...

Leading owner J.P. McManus and the recently retired jockey Kevin Manning were among those honoured Monday at the annual Horse Racing Ireland Awards. McManus, who is a 19-time champion National Hunt owner in Ireland, received the Contribution to the Industry Award. He has been associated with many of the top jumps horses for over 40 years with more 4,000 winners, including Mister Donavan (Choral Society {GB}), Jack Of Trumps (Kings Theatre {Ire}) and Deep Gale (Deep Run {GB}). He is a six-time Champion Hurdle-winning owner, two-time Grand National winner with...

For the third time in the last four years and fourth time overall, Colin Keane will be named the Irish Champion Flat Jockey when the Irish Flat season ends at Naas on Sunday. Keane's title comes after battling with rival Billy Lee for the majority of the season. Keane sits on 90 winners, with Lee second, while the 2020/21 runner-up Shane Foley is third. Wayne Lordan, Ben Coen and Seamie Heffernan are next on the list heading into the weekend. Keane was aboard Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) when he won...