20-05-2025
Twomey and Lee enjoy treble success in Cork
Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee dominated proceedings on last night's card in Mallow, recording a near 6-1 treble, achieved with varying degrees of complexity.
Rogue Legend set the ball rolling and did so with the least drama. In fact, the grey son of Havana Grey, was prominent throughout and won the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden with plenty to spare. It was a nice step up on his promising debut here two weeks ago.
Said Lee: 'He travelled easily today, and everything was nice and comfortable and straightforward, which I thought it would be the last day, but he was very raw. When I let him go, he was inclined to go left again, but I let him go to the rail and he straightened up and won within himself. You'd like to think there's a bit more to come from him.'
No Alibi doubled up for Twomey and Lee by winning the Signal Mutual Maiden, but the Blame filly first had to come out on top in a photo finish and then had to survive a stewards' enquiry.
She got on top over a furlong out but hung left under pressure. She and early leader Stella Alpina came close together just before the line but the rider of the runner-up didn't have to stop riding and, despite the distance being a nose, the right decision was made to have no alteration to the result.
The treble came in the most dramatic fashion as Royal Entry, as is her wont, dwelt in stalls and conceded considerable ground to all bar one of her rivals. She was some 20 lengths behind racing into the first turn but aided by the field going a furious gallop at that point.
Lee made up ground at the right time of the race and given she has prodigious talent, the filly was able to pick up again to see off the well backed but disappointing Tswalu.
A competitive five-furlong race was second up and Red Evolution, trained by Michael O'Callaghan and ridden by Jamie Powell, shaded the verdict from favourite Jorge Alvares. At the end of a furiously run race, only a short head separated them, but Red Evolution, who cost €300,000 at the breeze-up sale in 2024, did just enough to Hightimeyouwon has been a superb horse for all connections, and when he stepped back onto the turf for the Blackwater Apprentice Handicap, the Stephen Thorne-trained nine-year-old put an eleventh career victory on his card. Winner of three of his last four on the all-weather, he made the most of his lower turf mark to win this one with quite a bit in hand.
'First runner, first winner here,' said Thorne. 'We deliberately gave him a nice break as he was on the go all winter. He ran particularly well, and he has now won four of his last five starts. He won a very good handicap for the winter, and a couple of claiming races as well. He's a good, solid, fun horse, and we knew he was nicely handicapped coming back onto the turf – he has a 10lb lower rating – so we were keen to use that to our advantage.'
Nezeeh came through strongly to win the Buy Tickets Online At Handicap with real authority. On paper, it wasn't a strong race, and the ex-Godolphin horse, whose only previous win came on debut in August 2023, had his fair share of supporters from 16-1 down to 8-1. Always to the fore, the Denis Hogan-trained and Joey Sheridan-ridden gelding took over inside the final furlong and raced away to win in the style of one who can follow up.
With 36 runs and just one previous win, Together Aclaim was a difficult one to pinpoint as a likely winner of the finale, the Racing Again June 13 Handicap, but the six-year-old produced a stylish performance under Keithen Kennedy.
The 25-1 chance missed the kick, though not in the same style as earlier winner Royal Entry. The John McConnell-trained horse made steady progress through the race and, despite a huge field in front of him, he flew up the far side to get on top deep inside the final furlong. The gamble of the race was Warrior Lord, and he was a shade unlucky and will make amends before long.
