Limerick/Clare Racing News
Billy Lee’s flying start to the new season continued at Gowran Park on Wednesday where he partnered the Roving Swan Partnership-owned Warren Beach to an easy success in the opening seven-furlong median auction maiden. The 15/8 favourite led before the end of the back straight and made the best of his way home for a three-length win for trainer Ken Condon.
Lee was an early winner on the card at Navan on Saturday where he took the three-year-old maiden on the Willie McCreery-trained Charlemont. The well-supported 2/1 favourite could hardly have been more impressive on his debut as he beat the Edward Lynam-trained Gobi Star by an easy five lengths.
Enda Bolger gave owner JP McManus the second of two winners at Killarney on Sunday as Stealthy Tom comfortably won the Shay Rooney Handicap Chase. A strong 5/4 favourite, the Shane Fitzgerald-ridden seven-year-old led over the final fence to beat the Mark McNiff-trained Presenting Cody by two and three-parts of a length.
The McManus colours had earlier been carried to victory in the featured handicap hurdle when the Joseph O’Brien-trained Celestial Horizon recorded a seven-length win in the hands of JJ Slevin. Athea-based Eoin McCarthy won the concluding bumper with the Saorcha Fitzgerald-owned Lipa K. Ridden by Newcastle West conditional jockey Gary Noonan, the well-supported 5/1 chance held off the late run of the Willie Mullins-trained 6/4 chance Felix Summus by half a length with the Gordon Elliott-trained Themanintheboots the same distance away in third place.
A few days earlier at Kilbeggan, Cratloe’s Mark McDonagh gave County Tipperary trainer John Ryan another winner as Bonarc scored a 10-length success in the two-mile handicap hurdle. The 5/1 chance went clear after the final flight to beat Swelltime in fine fashion, a first winner of the new season for the Cheltenham Festival-winning conditional jockey.
Upcoming Fixtures
Killarney – Tuesday, May 17 (First Race 5.25pm)
Sligo – Tuesday, May 17 (First Race 5.40pm)
Cork – Wednesday, May 18 (First Race 5.10pm)
Tipperary – Thursday, May 19 (First Race 5.20pm)
Downpatrick – Friday, May 20 (First Race 5.05pm)
Curragh – Friday, May 20 (First Race 4.25pm)
Curragh – Saturday, May 21 (First Race 1.35pm)
Curragh – Sunday, May 22 (First Race 1.40pm)
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