Oh what a night - Billy Lee and Tim Doyle© Photo Healy Racing
Falling on the opening day of Royal Ascot, this meeting at Sligo probably won't live long in the memory for most. For Tim Doyle and his wife Claire (successful owner) though, and indeed Billy Lee, they'll likely recall it for a long time to come as they teamed up for a double.
Lee is of course on a roll after a Cork treble last Sunday. With any luck he'll surely be seen plying his trade at Royal Ascot in the years ahead but this evening at Cleveragh he added to his earlier gains on Vasoni when the well-backed favourite Killourney Empress (9/2 into 100/30) beat Liberty's Gift (cornered his fair share of market interest too – 11/2 into 7/2) by two and three parts of a length.
Doyle, saddling the fourth brace of his training career, commented: "It was worth the long journey. She won nicely and it was a competitive race.
"I was hoping for the best and she had two decent runs (this season). She's going the right way.
"She's in again at Limerick on Friday."
Looking further ahead the Thurles operator disclosed: "Mallowney (his stable-star) will go chasing in the autumn." (TW & EM)
